President Donald Trump fired on Thursday the last two federal election officials in charge of the agency that ensures accurate, secure votes ahead of midterms in November, US media reported.
The bipartisan Election Assistance Commission (EAC) is usually led by a four-commissioner panel, but the two Republican-nominated commissioners resigned earlier this year, USA Today reported.
The House of Representatives on Thursday called on the Federal Government to impose strong diplomatic measures against South Africa over renewed xenophobic attacks, extrajudicial killings and the alleged systematic persecution of Nigerians and other African nationals residing in the country.
This comes as 282 Nigerians arrived at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, from South Africa, in the fourth evacuation flight operated by Air Peace.
According to a statement by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, Kimiebi Ebienfa, 282 Nigerians, including 12 infants, arrived aboard an Air Peace flight at about 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.
The House resolution for strong diplomatic measures followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by the member representing Kanke/Kanam/Pankshin Federal Constituency of Plateau State, Yusuf Gagdi.
Both of the fired commissioners were selected by Democrats and received an email dismissing them on Thursday, the newspaper reported.
“On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as Commissioner of the Election Assistance Commission is terminated, effective immediately,” said an email from a White House official to one of the fired commissioners, CNN reported.
Democrats decried the move, with top state election officials like Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes calling it “irresponsible and dangerous.”
“This administration remains dead set on causing chaos for our election officials across the country,” he said in a press release.
US Senator Mark Warner of Virginia posted on X that the dismissals “should concern every American regardless of party,” adding “removing every remaining commissioner just months before the 2026 midterm elections is an extraordinary step that demands an immediate explanation from the administration.”
The Brennan Center for Justice’s CEO Michael Waldman called the firings “deeply concerning in light of President Trump’s relentless efforts to try to interfere in elections.”
Waldman added that the bipartisan nature of the four-member EAC was carefully designed by Congress to require no more than two members from the same political party.
The EAC was created in 2002 and certifies voting equipment while administering hundreds of millions of dollars in federal support for elections, CNN reported.