Padilla Statement Blasting Trump Budget Cuts to Election Security
While continuing 2020 election denial and conspiracy theories, Trump guts state and local election assistance and cybersecurity funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and California’s former Secretary of State, issued the following statement criticizing the Trump Administration’s budget request that proposes a devastating 40 percent cut to the Election Assistance Commission and the complete elimination of all of its Election Security Grants funding to support state election administration as well as a dangerous 18 percent cut to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the complete elimination of its $40 million Election Security Program. The CISA cuts undermine state and local governments’ ability to fight back against election-related cyber threats and attempted mis- and disinformation. The Trump Administration’s budget also proposes a harmful 14 percent cut to the Federal Election Commission that regulates federal election campaign spending.
“In today’s threat environment, foreign actors are constantly looking for opportunities to interfere in our elections, and state and local elections offices need cybersecurity funding and support more than ever. It is reckless for President Trump to seek to eliminate federal election assistance while continuing to spread the ‘Big Lie,’ falsely claiming he won the 2020 election, including in the State of California, where he lost three times. Instead of promoting conspiracy theories and relitigating his election losses, the Trump Administration should work with Congress on a bipartisan basis to ensure the 2026 and 2028 elections are readily accessible to all eligible voters and secure from attacks and interference.”
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