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Administration demands states change voting rules or lose antiterrorism funds

newsJul 7, 202622390

The Trump administration told states it will withhold federal antiterrorism grant money unless states adopt paper ballot systems, verify voter citizenship and conduct post-election audits, The New York Times reported on July 7, 2026. Federal officials warned the funding at stake runs into tens of millions of dollars if states do not pursue those changes. The proposed conditions mirror goals pushed by right-wing activists tied to false claims about voting machines and noncitizen voting in 2020. Critics said the move would make voting harder and could undermine confidence in elections. Courts have blocked similar executive actions before, with judges saying the Constitution does not give the executive branch power over elections, pointing toward likely legal challenges if the administration withholds the grants. States will face a choice between changing election practices or contesting the funding in court, with immediate fiscal and legal consequences for antiterrorism programs.

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