Trump’s Attorney General Todd Blanche is refusing to rule out a scenario in which the Justice Department tries to block states from certifying the November midterm elections — a possibility that is raising alarms among Democratic state officials.
During a press gaggle in Virginia on Thursday, a reporter asked Blanche directly whether the DOJ could intervene in state election certification.
“Is there any scenario in which DOJ would weigh in on that certification process or try to block states from certifying?” the reporter asked.
Blanche’s answer was striking.
“Is there any scenario? Yes,” he replied, before describing hypothetical circumstances in which the department might consider such action.
Blanche then insisted that the DOJ did not intend to interfere improperly with elections. But he refused to rule out intervention altogether.
“It is not DOJ’s intention to—and it’s never our intention—to improperly interfere with our elections,” he said.
Yet he added that he would not claim there were “no circumstances” in which the department might act.
That distinction may sound technical, but it is exactly what has drawn attention to his remarks: the nation’s top law enforcement official left open the possibility of federal intervention in a process traditionally handled by the states.
The comments quickly drew a sharp response from California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office.
“THIS IS CODE RED !!” the office wrote, warning that the Trump administration’s Justice Department was openly entertaining the possibility of election interference.
Melanie D’Arrigo of the Campaign for New York Health also highlighted Blanche’s response.
“He answered the question of whether Donald Trump’s DOJ may interfere in the midterm elections with a ‘Yes,’” she said.
🚨🚨🚨
Q: Is there any scenario in which DOJ would try to block states from certifying the election?
AG TODD BLANCHE: Yes, of course. It is not DOJ’s intention to improperly interfere with elections or the state certification process, but … https://t.co/3RUTqprHUs
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 22, 2026
The concern is not simply that Blanche discussed a hypothetical. It is that he declined to rule out federal action involving the certification of elections at a moment when the midterms are approaching.
Election certification is the formal process through which election officials confirm and finalize results. States administer their elections under a framework shaped by state law and federal law, with specific duties assigned to different officials.
The federal government does have a role in enforcing federal election laws. But that is not the same as having a general power to step in and stop states from certifying results simply because federal officials disagree with an outcome.
Any attempt to block certification would raise major legal questions about the authority for such action, the specific circumstances involved and the limits imposed by law.
A Troubling Question Left Hanging
Blanche is not just another administration official. As attorney general, he leads the Justice Department, which is responsible for enforcing federal law — including laws governing elections.
He also previously served as Donald Trump’s personal attorney, making his position within the administration a particular focus for critics concerned about the independence of federal law enforcement.
The remarks come against the backdrop of years of disputes over Trump’s false claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election and his repeated challenges to the results of that contest.
That leaves a consequential question unanswered: Under what circumstances would the Justice Department believe it had the authority to intervene in state election certification — and who would decide when those circumstances had been met?
With the November midterms approaching, Blanche’s answer is likely to draw continued scrutiny from election officials, legal experts and lawmakers seeking clarity on the limits of federal power.
