Former President Donald Trump has continued to promote unsubstantiated claims regarding the integrity of the 2020 U.S. presidential election as the 2026 midterm elections approach. Among these assertions is the contested allegation that thousands of fraudulent votes were cast in Wisconsin nursing homes—a claim that election experts and fact-checkers have repeatedly debunked.
The persistence of this and other election-related conspiracy theories has had tangible effects on federal policies and election administration. In July, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued new guidance cautioning nursing home staff against “inappropriate coercion or other violations of residents’ rights” related to voting assistance. Critics, including voting rights advocates and some senators, argue that this guidance could dissuade aides from lawfully assisting elderly residents in casting their ballots, potentially suppressing voter participation among this vulnerable population.
The Trump administration’s efforts to scrutinize election procedures have extended beyond nursing homes. Federal agencies have dedicated substantial resources to investigating claims of noncitizen voting, despite expert consensus that such occurrences are exceedingly rare. The Department of Justice has sent warnings to states threatening criminal prosecution if ballots cast by noncitizens are counted. Meanwhile, claims that mail voting is inherently corrupt remain a central theme in Trump’s rhetoric, though his stance has shown some flexibility this year; Trump urged Republicans to utilize mail-in voting in light of low polling numbers and personally voted by mail in Florida primaries.
Concerns about the security of voting machines also persist. In early 2026, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin requested that the Justice Department examine whether electronic voting systems reliably produce verifiable records. This follows Trump’s longstanding allegations that voting machines were manipulated to alter election outcomes, and his reported regret that he did not deploy the National Guard to seize machines in key states following his 2020 loss. Election security experts and federal agencies, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), have found vulnerabilities in some equipment but no evidence of exploitation affecting election results. Laws restrict voting machines from being connected to the internet to mitigate hacking risks.
These longstanding conspiracies have fed into actions taken by individuals and groups aligned with Trump. For instance, Tina Peters, a former Colorado county clerk convicted of tampering with voting machines, received a symbolic pardon from Trump and continues to advocate against machines with foreign-made components. Similarly, the Election Integrity Network, led by Cleta Mitchell—a prominent figure in attempts to overturn the 2020 election—has distributed materials urging volunteers to monitor nursing homes for alleged “vote stealing” by liberal groups, particularly in competitive congressional districts.
Election experts and former Justice Department officials warn that the federal government’s apparent role in amplifying these unverified claims risks undermining public trust and complicating election administration. David Becker, director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, described the disinformation campaign as “tired” but noted it is unprecedented for the federal government to endorse such theories so openly. Some election officials, including Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane, have sought to counteract voter mistrust through education and outreach efforts.
The White House, through a spokesman, defended Trump’s claims, maintaining that evidence of voter fraud continues to emerge and emphasizing that illegal voting carries consequences. Meanwhile, critics caution that the embrace of these conspiracies may be used to justify restrictive policies or challenges that could disenfranchise voters ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.