Trump fires EAC commissioners

President Donald Trump terminated the remaining three members of the United States — Election Assistance Commission (EAC) on July 9-10, 2026, citing the Supreme Court's Slaughter decision that expanded presidential authority to fire independent agency members. The two Democratic commissioners, Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, were fired via email, while Republican commissioner Christy McCormick resigned. A fourth seat had been vacant since April. The EAC, created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002, is responsible for distributing federal election grants, certifying voting systems, and maintaining the national voter registration form. The firings leave the commission without a quorum, preventing it from taking new actions. Critics, including Democratic lawmakers and election officials, condemned the move as an attempt to interfere with the upcoming midterm elections. The White House stated the president has the right to remove individuals not aligned with securing elections. The firings follow Trump's efforts to require proof of citizenship on voter registration forms, which the EAC had declined to implement and a federal judge blocked. The administration had also explored declaring a national emergency to bypass the commission.