MSNBC host Symone Sanders-Townsend accused President Donald Trump on Friday of attempting to “steal” upcoming midterm elections through executive actions, redistricting efforts, and changes to election oversight.
During an appearance on “Chris Jansing Reports,” Sanders-Townsend said she believes Trump is deliberately working to manipulate the electoral system to benefit himself and his party.
“First of all, I do think he is trying to steal the election,” Sanders-Townsend said. “And I’m not talking about manipulating votes. I’m talking about the actions the president and the people around him have taken.”
She pointed to Trump’s executive order on elections issued early in his presidency and referenced his reported outreach to Texas officials last year.
“That call asking them to find him five more seats is what kicked off this mid-decade redistricting,” she said. “It was about manufacturing more seats and manipulating voters because he does not believe he can win under the current maps.”
Sanders-Townsend also criticized the placement of individuals she described as “election deniers” in positions within the Department of Homeland Security related to election oversight.
“These are made-up roles over election integrity,” she said. “One of the ways people try to steal elections is by controlling the systems and the information.”
She further accused the administration of seeking access to voter rolls nationwide and revisiting past elections.
“Going in and seizing ballots out of Fulton County six years after an election happened — what does that tell you?” Sanders-Townsend asked. “If they’re willing to do that for an election from six years ago, what do you think they’re willing to do now?”
According to Sanders-Townsend, these actions signal a broader strategy to influence future outcomes.
“I think people should be very clear that the president is, in fact, trying to steal the election,” she said. “Democratic governors have been warning about this.”
She concluded by urging voters and state leaders to remain vigilant, arguing that the integrity of future elections depends on resisting political pressure and maintaining transparent processes.
Sanders-Townsend’s remarks come amid ongoing national debates over redistricting, election laws, and federal involvement in state-run voting systems ahead of the next midterm cycle.
