TRUMP ELECTION UNDERMINING TIMELINE
A documentary timeline of the Trump administration's efforts to undermine elections, adapted from the Brennan Center's election undermining timeline . It tracks documented actions across election rules, pressure on officials, support for underminers, and the retreat from the federal role in election security.
For the full interactive source material, visit the full Brennan Center timeline. Content is used for educational and documentary purposes with full attribution. This page is a static summary manually synced from that source — not scraped automatically.
The president pardons January 6 rioters
On his first day in office, President Trump pardons roughly 1,500 people on trial for participating in the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol in 2021 — which sought to stop Congress from certifying the 2020 presidential election results — and commutes the sentences of 14 people convicted for their involvement.
The president issues an executive order that leads to a pause in election security activities
The president issues an executive order, titled "Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship," that later spurs an internal investigation at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and prompts a pause of election security activities. CISA helps protect the cybersecurity and physical security of the nation's election systems.
The DOJ begins withdrawing from its involvement in pro-voter cases
The Department of Justice (DOJ) withdraws its friend-of-the-court brief and its request to participate in the Supreme Court oral argument in Callais v. Landry. A ruling in favor of the Callais plaintiffs risks the Supreme Court finding that some of the most effective remedies brought by Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which allows voters to challenge discriminatory voting policies, could be deemed unconstitutional. The withdrawal signals the start of a paradigm shift on voting rights at the department.
The DOJ dismisses its voter purge case in Virginia
The DOJ withdraws its challenge to a Virginia voter purge that it previously alleged had disproportionately and wrongly removed naturalized citizens from the state's rolls of registered voters.
CISA employees are pushed out
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) offers deferred resignation to CISA employees and 174 accept, resigning in exchange for retaining all benefits until September 30.
An election denier is sworn in as attorney general
Pam Bondi is sworn in as the U.S. attorney general. Bondi has staunchly denied the results of the 2020 presidential election, including by spreading false claims that there was mass evidence of cheating in Pennsylvania.
The DOJ establishes the Weaponization Working Group
Attorney General Bondi establishes a task force to review the activities of the president's perceived enemies, including people involved in the January 6 investigations and the prosecution of Trump and his businesses, including former Special Counsel Jack Smith and the Manhattan district attorney.
CISA freezes all election security activities; DHS cuts funding for EI-ISAC
The acting director of CISA announces that all election security activities will be paused pending the results of an internal investigation being conducted pursuant to the president's executive order on ending federal censorship. The memo also announces that DHS will no longer fund the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC), which helps state and local officials monitor and respond to election cyberattacks.
DOGE fires CISA employees
The Trump administration's new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) fires approximately 130 CISA employees. A judge later reinstated those employees to their positions, but they were immediately placed on administrative leave.
Reported hacker joins CISA
Edward Coristine becomes a senior adviser at CISA, which helps safeguard the cybersecurity of the nation's election systems. Coristine was reportedly fired from a previous internship for leaking internal company information to competitors. Coristine has since left CISA and is now at the Social Security Administration.
An election denier is sworn in as FBI director
Kash Patel is sworn in as director of the FBI. Patel has denied the legitimacy of the 2020 election, including during his Senate confirmation hearing, and has made clear that he is willing to use the power of the federal government to target those who ensure that elections run smoothly and securely. Patel previously stated, "We're going to come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens, who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections — we're going to come after you."
The president issues an executive order targeting the law firm Covington & Burling
The president signs an executive order targeting Covington & Burling, in part because the law firm had assisted former Special Counsel Jack Smith in investigating the January 6 riot. This order, like subsequent orders targeting law firms, removes firm employees' security clearances and bars the firm from working on government contracts.
The DOJ files a statement of interest in election interference case
The DOJ files a statement of interest in a habeas petition challenging the incarceration of Tina Peters, a former Colorado election clerk. Peters was convicted in state court of four felonies and sentenced to prison for granting unauthorized access to voting equipment in 2021. The filing states that the DOJ is evaluating whether her prosecution was politically motivated.
The president issues an executive order targeting the law firm Perkins Coie
The president signs an executive order targeting Perkins Coie because the law firm had represented a political opponent, challenged restrictive voter ID laws that made it harder for eligible citizens to vote, and, as the court enjoining the order stated, brought "election-related lawsuits . . . challenging actions supported by the president or his campaign." On May 2, a district judge permanently blocked the executive order after finding it unconstitutional. On June 30, the DOJ filed a notice of appeal.
The DOJ dismisses its redistricting case in Texas
The DOJ voluntarily dismisses all claims against the defendants in LULAC v. Abbott, which had challenged Texas's discriminatory 2021 redistricting plan as a violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
CISA cuts $10 million in funding for entities supporting election security work
CISA terminates funding for the Center for Internet Security (CIS), a nonprofit that provides training and threat monitoring for and shares resources with election vendors and state and local election officials. The agency also reduces funding for CIS's Multi-State Information and Analysis Center, a network similar to EI-ISAC that helps state and local election officials prepare for and respond to security risks.
The president threatens 2020 election officials with prosecution
In a speech at the DOJ, the president says that election officials from 2020 should be prosecuted, stating, "What a difference a rigged and crooked election had on our country. And the people who did this to us should go to jail." The president and his appointees have repeatedly threatened to target election officials and nonprofit advocacy groups; these threats roughly track a proposal laid out in Project 2025, the controversial conservative policy agenda created by the Heritage Foundation.
The president issues an executive order targeting the law firm Paul Weiss
The president signs an executive order targeting the law firm Paul Weiss, in part for employing an attorney who brought a lawsuit against a participant in the January 6 insurrection. On March 20, in exchange for rescinding the executive order, Paul Weiss committed to, among other things, do pro bono legal work on causes supported by the administration.
The interim U.S. attorney in DC establishes the Special Unit: Election Accountability task force
Ed Martin, the interim U.S. attorney in Washington, DC, establishes the Special Unit: Election Accountability task force, purportedly to enforce election laws. Martin has promoted false claims that the 2020 election was rigged. After Martin later fails to secure confirmation as the U.S. attorney, he is tapped to head the DOJ's Weaponization Working Group.
Reinstated CISA employees are put on leave
A district judge reinstates CISA employees previously fired by DOGE, after which CISA immediately places them on administrative leave.
The DOJ dismisses a pro-voter case in Georgia
The DOJ voluntarily dismisses a pro-voter lawsuit filed under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act during the previous administration. The lawsuit had claimed that the board of commissioners in Houston County, Georgia, was structured in a way that diluted the voting strength of Black citizens.
The president issues an executive order on elections
The president issues an executive order, titled "Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections," that aims to usurp federal election regulation powers from Congress, the states, and the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), an independent, bipartisan federal agency that assists states with election administration. Among other things, the order purports to direct the EAC to mandate that voters show a passport or other citizenship document when registering to vote. The order was challenged in five lawsuits. Two courts have blocked some provisions while litigation proceeds, including those directing the EAC to add a requirement to show a passport or naturalization document to register to vote in federal elections.
The president issues an executive order targeting the law firm Jenner & Block
The president signs an executive order targeting the law firm Jenner & Block, in part because the firm employed Andrew Weissman. Weissman, as the court enjoining the order stated, "drew presidential disdain" for criticizing Trump and for participating "in a legitimate investigation of election interference" — namely, the investigation and prosecution of the president's campaign team for crimes related to foreign interference in the 2016 elections. The association with Weissman "extended that disdain to the firm," the court added. On May 23, a judge granted a permanent injunction after finding the executive order unconstitutional. On July 21, the DOJ filed a notice of appeal.
The DOJ withdraws its amicus brief in pro-voter case in Washington
The DOJ withdraws its friend-of-the-court brief in support of plaintiffs in Soto Palmer v. Hobbs, a case challenging Washington state's legislative districts as a violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act for diluting the voting strength of Latino citizens.
The president issues an executive order targeting the law firm WilmerHale
The president signs an executive order targeting the law firm WilmerHale, in part for the firm's association with Robert Mueller, who oversaw the investigation into Russia's interference with the 2016 election. On May 27, a district judge rendered the executive order null and void after finding it unconstitutional. On July 25, the DOJ filed a notice of appeal.
The DOJ dismisses another pro-voter case in Georgia
The DOJ withdraws its friend-of-the-court brief and voluntarily dismisses a case filed in January 2024 concerning Senate Bill 202. Georgia's legislature passed the omnibus election law, which included multiple anti-voter measures, after the 2020 election cycle.
CISA offers another round of deferred resignations
CISA offers most employees buyouts if they resign, including former probationary employees who were reinstated after the mass firings in February. Approximately 600 employees — nearly a third of CISA's workforce — take this offer.
An election denier is sworn in as head of civil rights at the DOJ
Harmeet Dhillon is sworn in as assistant attorney general in charge of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division. Dhillon has been a loud proponent of the lies surrounding the 2020 election and the conspiracy theories that underlie Project 2025's proposal to prosecute election officials.
The DOJ dismisses its pro-voter case against Arizona
The DOJ voluntarily dismisses a pro-voter lawsuit filed in Arizona under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in 2022. The case had challenged state laws that, among other things, required voters to show a birth certificate, passport, or other citizenship document to register to vote in presidential elections.
The president issues an executive order targeting the former CISA director
The president directs the DOJ to investigate the actions of Christopher Krebs, whom Trump had appointed to lead CISA during his first term. Krebs had publicly stated that the 2020 election was the most secure in history; Trump was simultaneously pressuring other Republicans to assist him in overturning the will of the voters.
The president issues an executive order targeting the law firm Susman Godfrey
The president signs an executive order accusing the law firm Susman Godfrey of "spearhead[ing] efforts" to "degrade the quality of American elections." The firm had defended Dominion Voting Systems, a major supplier of voting machines, in cases concerning false claims about the 2020 election. On June 27, a judge granted a permanent injunction after finding the executive order unconstitutional. On August 22, the DOJ filed a notice of appeal.
The DOJ dismisses its pro-voter case in Pennsylvania
The DOJ voluntarily dismisses its claims in United States v. City of Hazleton, in which it had challenged the Pennsylvania city's election system under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act for denying Latino voters to the opportunity to participate effectively.
The interim U.S. attorney in New Jersey establishes the Election Integrity Task Force
New Jersey's interim U.S. attorney establishes the Election Integrity Task Force. The task force is created, in part, to prioritize investigating and prosecuting election crimes such as voter fraud, which are vanishingly rare.
The president calls for Tina Peters to be released
The president posts on social media that he is directing the DOJ to "take all necessary action" to release Peters, the former Colorado election clerk convicted of granting unauthorized access to voting equipment in 2021.
The DOJ begins requesting states' election-related records and voter list records
Beginning May 12, the DOJ Civil Rights Division sends letters to top election officials in at least 46 states plus the District of Columbia, requesting details about voters, election officials, and election administration processes. These states include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The collection of this sensitive information by the federal government leads to serious privacy and security concerns and may violate state and federal laws. The DOJ has confirmed that it is sharing the voter registration data it collects with the Department of Homeland Security.
The DOJ files voter purge lawsuit in North Carolina
The DOJ files a lawsuit alleging that the North Carolina State Board of Elections violated federal law because more than 200,000 of its voter registration records lack a driver's license number and the last four digits of a social security number. The suit seeks to have the board contact voters to obtain this information — even though most voters have already provided it and the numbers have no bearing on eligibility to vote. Affected voters could be removed from the voter rolls through no fault of their own, putting hundreds of thousands of people at risk of disenfranchisement. On September 8, a federal court approved a settlement between the United States and the North Carolina State Board of Elections. The settlement will force nearly 100,000 registered voters to re-prove their eligibility to ensure future ballots are counted.
The DOJ Criminal Division begins pursuing information-sharing agreement with states
The DOJ's Criminal Division begins sending emails to top election officials in states asking for a meeting about a potential information-sharing agreement. The requests are explicitly made to implement the president's executive order on voting. The DOJ has sent such letters to Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
An election denier is appointed to a new election-related post at DHS
Heather Honey is appointed deputy assistant secretary of election integrity at DHS, a newly created role. Honey has made misleading claims about the 2020 election and was involved in the Cyber Ninjas sham audit of the 2020 election in Maricopa County, Arizona.
The DOJ reportedly requests access to Missouri's voting equipment
Per news reports, a DOJ official sends a request to two Missouri county clerks to access and physically inspect voting equipment used in the November 2020 election.
The DOJ Civil Rights Division begins litigation against states
The DOJ Civil Rights Division begins filing lawsuits against states for refusing to provide complete statewide voter registration lists. Some of the lawsuits also challenge the state's refusal to provide registration information for ineligible voters or information about list maintenance. The DOJ has filed suit in California, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.
The DOJ requests voter files from additional states
The DOJ continues to expand its requests for voter files and election-related records. By this date, the DOJ has contacted officials in at least 46 states plus the District of Columbia regarding voter list maintenance records and other election administration data.
The president threatens to end mail voting
The president publicly threatens to end mail voting, making statements that suggest he would use executive power to restrict or eliminate vote-by-mail options that have been used by millions of Americans. Such a move would represent an unprecedented federal intervention in state election administration and could disenfranchise voters who rely on mail voting.
The DOJ indicts former FBI Director James Comey
The Department of Justice indicts former FBI Director James Comey, who had led investigations into election interference and other matters during the previous administration. Critics view this as part of a pattern of using federal power to target perceived political enemies and those who have worked to ensure election security.
The administration continues to scale back federal election protections
As the 2026 midterms approach, the Trump administration continues to dismantle federal election security infrastructure and voter protections. CISA remains significantly weakened, federal voting rights enforcement has been curtailed, and the administration continues to pursue policies that would restrict voting access and interfere with state election administration.
The DOJ has sued more than 20 states for refusing to turn over voter files
The Trump administration has filed lawsuits against more than 20 states that refused to provide complete statewide voter registration lists and election-related records. The DOJ's unprecedented demands include driver's license and partial Social Security numbers, raising serious privacy and security concerns.
The FBI raids the Fulton County election office in Georgia
The FBI raids the Fulton County election office, seizing thousands of 2020 ballots and election records. The raid was based on debunked conspiracy theories that have driven baseless speculation about the 2020 vote in Georgia for years. Fulton County later alleged the Justice Department misled the judge by leaving key information out of the affidavit. Multiple prior investigations had found no evidence of fraud.
"Confidential" agreements reveal DOJ plans for states' voter data
At least 10 states — home to over 37 million registered voters — have provided their full voter lists to the federal government. The DOJ's confidential memorandum of understanding reveals plans to analyze voter files and instruct states to remove specific voters within 45 days, which would turn American election administration upside down. The agreement lacks adequate safeguards for the sensitive data.