President Donald Trump’s push to reshape American elections hit a series of significant roadblocks last week, as federal judges struck down key pieces of his agenda. Yet the Trump election overhaul midterms effort is far from over, with the administration shifting tactics and observers warning the fight will continue well into the campaign season.

A String of Court Setbacks

Federal judges delivered major blows to Trump’s election plans, blocking efforts centered on proof of citizenship requirements, mail-in voting restrictions, and an attempt to nationalize the electoral process. Even so, the rulings don’t signal an end to the president’s work on the issue.

The timing adds urgency to the stakes. Following Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, some close observers worry he may be laying groundwork to cast doubt on the midterm outcomes if they don’t favor his party.

Republicans already have reason for concern heading into November. A mix of factors weighs on their prospects:

• Trump’s aggressive immigration approach
• Ongoing wars abroad
• Persistent anxiety among Americans over affordability

History compounds the challenge. Sitting presidents have lost House seats in every midterm election since George W. Bush’s tenure in 2006, putting Republicans in a difficult spot from the start.

The First Executive Order Falls

The first major defeat came on Wednesday, when a federal judge permanently blocked most of Trump’s initial executive order on elections. That order had required proof of citizenship to register to vote and mandated that mail-in ballots be returned by Election Day.

Judge Denise Casper grounded her ruling in constitutional limits, noting that while the president holds executive power and must ensure laws are faithfully executed, the Constitution grants him no specific authority over elections.

Pivoting to Congress

Rather than abandon the effort, Trump redirected his energy toward the legislative branch. Last week, he intensified pressure on congressional Republicans to advance the SAVE America Act.

The proposed legislation would impose several new requirements on voters:

• Photo identification to vote in federal elections
• Documentary proof of citizenship when registering
• A copy of identification submitted alongside absentee ballots

It’s worth noting that citizenship is already a requirement to vote, and according to the Bipartisan Policy Center, instances of non-citizens voting in federal elections are rare. Even so, Republicans have found political traction in spotlighting the issue and pressing for reform.

The bill faces a steep climb. It is unlikely to reach the 60-vote, filibuster-proof threshold needed to clear the Senate. Trump has urged Republicans to eliminate the filibuster so the measure could pass with a simple majority, but many in his own party appear wary of taking that step.

Mail-In Voting Restrictions Blocked

The setbacks continued on Thursday, when another federal judge blocked Trump’s executive order aimed at tightening mail-in voting rules, finding parts of it unconstitutional.

That order had directed the Department of Homeland Security to use citizenship and naturalization records to compile lists of confirmed eligible voters for each state. It further instructed the U.S. Postal Service to deliver ballots only to voters appearing on those approved lists.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani echoed the reasoning from the earlier case, reaffirming that the Constitution does not grant the president specific powers over elections. The practical implications surfaced in Congress as well, where U.S. Postmaster General David Steiner testified that under a proposed rule tied to the order, USPS would withhold ballot delivery from states refusing to share voter lists with the federal government. Steiner added that the agency would comply with any relevant court rulings.

The Push to “Nationalize” Elections

Beyond the executive orders, Trump has openly called for a broader federal takeover of the electoral system. Back in February, he urged Republicans to “nationalize” and “take over” elections, suggesting the party should seize control of voting in at least 15 places.

That ambition runs into a fundamental constitutional reality. Under the Constitution, the authority to set election rules rests with states and Congress, and elections themselves are administered by state and local officials rather than the federal government.

This effort, too, suffered a legal defeat. A federal judge ruled against a revamped federal tool known as Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, finding it might aggregate personal data in ways that could lead to voters being wrongly purged from the rolls. The tool had been a centerpiece of Trump’s second executive order on elections.

An Uphill Battle Ahead

Taken together, the rulings represent a substantial check on Trump’s election agenda. The administration retains the option to appeal each of the decisions handed down last week, but the path forward looks challenging.

The repeated emphasis from multiple judges on the same constitutional principle, that the president lacks specific authority over elections, suggests appeals may face significant headwinds. For now, the administration’s most viable route appears to run through Congress, where the SAVE America Act still faces its own daunting obstacles.

What It Means for the Midterms

As the midterms approach, the contest over election rules has become a defining feature of the political landscape. Trump’s efforts have largely been stymied in the courts, yet his continued pressure on Congress and his rhetoric about nationalizing elections keep the issue very much alive.

Whether through legislation, appeals, or political messaging, the administration shows no sign of dropping the matter. The coming months will reveal whether any of these avenues bear fruit, and how the unresolved fight over how Americans vote will shape both the campaign and public confidence in the results that follow.