President Donald Trump removed the last three members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) on Thursday, leaving the bipartisan federal agency entirely without commissioners for the first time ahead of a national vote. The two Democratic commissioners, Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, were dismissed by email, while the sole Republican commissioner, Christy McCormick, was asked to resign. The fourth seat had been vacant since April. The White House confirmed the action, citing a recent Supreme Court ruling that expanded the president’s authority to remove officials at independent agencies.

From Washington, the administration argued that the president “reserves the right to remove individuals that may not be totally aligned” with securing elections and counting legal votes. Democratic state election officials, however, described the move as reckless and dangerous. Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said the dismissals “undermine the integrity of nonpartisan election administration,” while Senator Mark Warner of Virginia called it an extraordinary step demanding explanation. The Brennan Center for Justice warned the firings were “deeply concerning” given Trump’s repeated efforts to influence electoral processes.

The EAC, created by Congress in 2002, provides states with voting system certification, security grants, and guidance on registration and mail-in voting. Although it lacks direct control over elections—which remain under state jurisdiction—the departure of all commissioners hampers its ability to set policy, approve new standards, or vote on pending rules. Notably, the commission was weighing an executive order from March 2025 that would have required proof of citizenship on national voter registration forms, a move blocked by courts. With no commissioners, such decisions are frozen indefinitely.

Legal observers note that the dismissals directly follow the Supreme Court’s decision in Trump v. Slaughter, which overturned nearly a century of precedent limiting presidential removal of independent agency heads. The White House did not specify when replacements would be nominated, and any appointees would need Senate confirmation—a process likely to take months. Viewed from European capitals, the hollowing out of an explicitly bipartisan institution adds to concerns about the federal government’s role in the November 2026 midterm elections and the durability of cross-party safeguards in the U.S. electoral system.