Trump Dismisses All Members of the Election Assistance Commission

On July 9, 2026, President Donald Trump terminated all three remaining members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), effectively disabling the agency responsible for election administration. The two Democratic commissioners, Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, received termination notices via email, while the third commissioner, Republican Christy McCormick, was allowed to resign. The EAC, which was established by Congress after the 2000 election, plays a supportive role in election administration, including distributing federal election funds and certifying voting systems. With no commissioners remaining, the EAC cannot take official action until new members are appointed. The firings occurred shortly after the Supreme Court granted the president the authority to remove leaders of independent agencies, raising questions about the future structure and independence of bipartisan election commissions. Experts suggest that the legality of these dismissals may be tested if any of the fired commissioners choose to challenge their removals. The EAC was designed to maintain a bipartisan balance, with no more than two members from the same party, complicating the appointment process for new commissioners.