The Justice Department Hasn’t Taken Its Usual Steps to Protect the 2026 Election

The DOJ appears to be quietly scrapping its typical “command center” that would monitor Election Day emergencies.

Trump DOJ Banner

Actions — and inactions — taken by the DOJ have alarmed current and former prosecutors. Rahmat Gul/AP

President Donald Trump says “if you don’t have honest voting, you can’t really have a nation.”

But five months out from the midterm elections that will determine control of Congress, his Justice Department has canceled election-integrity training sessions for prosecutors and FBI agents, deleted a 281-page guide to prosecuting election offenses, fired most of the lawyers in its Public Integrity Section and failed to replace the director of its Election Crimes Branch.

Moreover, the DOJ has not taken the usual steps to establish a “command center” to monitor and address the typical emergencies that pop up around Election Day, three sources with knowledge of the situation told NOTUS. A command center team would address things like voter intimidation and targeted disinformation meant to hinder a fair process.