In today’s edition … We ask you about the security of U.S. elections … Wildfire smoke blankets much of the East Coast … but first …
Read more What to know about the Save America Act that Trump is pushing
President Donald Trump opened his prime-time address on Thursday night by running through what he described as the successes of his second term: the economy, immigration, crime, drug prices and the military.
“We are doing great,” Trump said.
That was the speech from Trump many Republicans focused on winning the 2026 midterms would have liked voters to hear more of.
But that isn’t what happened.
Trump quickly pivoted the speech to the topic that has largely consumed him since he lost the 2020 election: his claims about election interference, fraud and vulnerability.
In a roughly 27-minute speech, Trump revisited many of the grievances about voting he has regularly discussed and posted about for years. Although Trump touted much of the information as new, a lot of it has been previously reported by the federal government. And he did not show evidence that votes were changed or that the 2020 result was altered, instead focusing on election “vulnerability.”
“Every American deserves to know that when they cast their vote, that vote will be counted accurately in a system, and that is to make that system secure — one where cheating and interference are not just difficult, but virtually impossible,” he said. “Unfortunately, the system we have today falls catastrophically short of that standard.”
A few highlights:
There were certainly many Republicans who cheered this speech, especially those in deep red states and who have long been loyal to Trump.
“To me, none of it really matters if you don’t have strong, secure elections,” Rep. Eli Crane (R-Arizona) told our colleague Anna Liss-Roy.
But those operatives tasked with holding on to majorities in the House and Senate later this year either said the speech had no impact on their campaigns or that it was a missed opportunity for the president to use a large audience to tout his economic record.
“It may be a better use of time for the president to explain how he’s going to lower costs at the grocery store and at the gas pump rather than relitigating the elections from over half a decade ago,” said a Republican operative working on House campaigns.
“I don’t find him to be too concerned about Republicans in the midterms,” said Rep. Don Bacon (R-Nebraska).
These Republicans pointed to public polling showing voters remain far more focused on the economy and prices than on election security.
“No one did more to help Democrats win Georgia in the 2020 presidential election and the Senate elections than Donald Trump,” said Doug Heye, a longtime Republican operative, referring to how Trump’s claims of a stolen election helped Democrats win the state’s runoff elections in December 2020.
“Why he would want to repeat that is mystifying,” Heye added. “Voters want to hear what is being done to lower prices. This kind of self-created distraction makes it that much harder to convince suburban Atlanta voters to vote Republican.”
So what may the president be attempting to get out of this speech?
First, it has been clear for years that Trump personally cares about this topic — he talks about it … all the time. Second, Trump wants Congress to try to pass the Save America Act. And third, according to some Republicans, this kind of speech could fire up a Trump base that has shown it isn’t always interested in voting in an election where Trump isn’t on the ballot.
“The way I would encourage some folks to look at this is you need MAGA voters — those who vote Trump but not down ballot — to show up in 2026,” said Jesse Hunt, a Republican operative who has worked on campaigns nationwide over the past decade. “The president has a better pulse on those voters than anyone else.”
“I don’t think anyone is going to neglect those issues,” Hunt said of the economy. “But Trump voters not backing down-ballot candidates or feeling motivated to show up is a very big issue.”
Read more Trump speech alleges election security ‘vulnerabilities,’ but does not back up those claims
There is some truth to that. In 2018, Republicans lost control of the House, in part, because the Trump electorate that helped propel the businessman to the presidency did not show up for down-ballot Republicans.
And there are widespread Republican concerns that the same could happen this year, as the party, once again, faces voters two years after a Trump victory. Democrats have had surging turnout in the earliest primaries. And polls have consistently shown that Democrats are far more motivated to vote this year than Republicans.
But even top Republicans who have helped Trump’s legislative agenda said Thursday they wished he would be focused on other topics.
“We are focused on the 2026 election — at least I am and I think most of my colleagues are,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota). “That election was a closed issue back in 2020.”
He added: “I’m not looking back into the past. I’m looking to the future. We have a Senate race in Georgia this year in 2026, and I’m hoping we’re going to be able to pick up a seat there.”
Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, New York): Wildfire smoke from Canada has moved across the border and is blanketing large swaths of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. More than 115 million people could be exposed to unhealthy air quality.
Detroit News: Cyclosporiasis is spreading across the country, including recent reports in Michigan. The symptoms are not great — we will spare you the details here. But there are tips to help you avoid exposure to the parasitic illness.
VT Digger (Vermont): Ben & Jerry’s, the standout ice cream producer, has long been known for its philanthropic work and social justice mission. But the company’s foundation says it will soon shut down amid a legal dispute with its parent company, throwing into question hundreds of thousands of dollars in support it provides various organizations.
We reported exclusively yesterday on the Jeffrey Epstein ties in the New Hampshire Senate race and how Republican candidate John Sununu did not tell the truth when he tried to dismiss the questions about his name being mentioned in an Epstein email.
So we asked you: Do you still care about the Epstein files months after the emails were made public?
The answers were varied — some said they wanted to know more, and others said there were more pressing issues.
“I do think the Epstein Files are relevant to the 2026 midterms. The Files are representative of parts of the U.S. today,” wrote Pam Gregory. “The Epstein Files demonstrate how there are a different set of laws (and moral accountability) for people who have money.”
Marna Gettleman agreed: “Of course I still care about the Epstein files. … The victims and survivors need to know that other people care about the truth, too, and that justice needs to be served.”
But some wrote that the 2026 midterms should focus more on personal matters.
“The Epstein files are a nonissue for me. It’s the economy because the price of food has gone up considerably. I have not cooked roast beef this year because I can’t afford it. The price of gas is almost $4 a gallon in Maryland but when I traveled to Alabama for the Fourth of July weekend, I saw gas as low as $3.03 in South Carolina,” wrote Brenda K. Taite.
And John Frank added: “It was news for a long time, then his suspicious death spurred more questions. Now it’s being used as a distraction for all the other shady business going on with this administration.”
We will keep it simple today: Trump clearly wants people focused on the security of elections in the United States, but polls show voters are far more focused on the economy. Where do you stand? Does the security of elections worry you? Or are you more concerned about other issues? Let us and your fellow Early Brief readers know at [email protected].
Read more White House touts Trump speech as Democrats warn of recycled falsehoods
Thanks for reading. You can follow Dan on X at @merica.
