Trump administration refuses international election observers for first time in over 2 decades, a feat that’s only been done by Russia and Belarus

The Trump administration has declined to invite election observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to witness the upcoming midterms, MS Now reports. This choice marks the first time in more than two decades that observers from this regional security group will not be present at a United States election.

The organization has monitored every federal election in the country since 2002. These monitors typically visit various polling stations and eventually issue a report on how the elections were conducted. They do not have any enforcement power, and they do not interfere with the process, as their access to specific polling stations is ultimately decided by each individual state.

By choosing not to invite these observers, the United States now joins only Russia and Belarus in excluding the organization from its election process. This development comes as Democrats and various election integrity experts have expressed concerns regarding potential election meddling.

These worries were heightened after the DOJ announced its own plans to send monitors to polling locations

A spokesperson for the State Department explained the decision by stating the organization “should focus its limited resources on elections where it can have the greatest impact.” This reasoning stands in stark contrast to the organization’s own perspective on the matter. In an official statement, the group noted that the administration’s decision “is not in line” with existing commitments the US has made to other countries. Within the organization, participating states have previously agreed to invite observers to their respective elections.

The organization called the decision “regrettable” while Human Rights Watch noted that the move “fuels fears of serious human rights concerns around the upcoming elections.” It is worth noting that observers were invited to the 2018 midterms during the first term of President Trump and even monitored the 2024 elections. During that most recent visit, the monitors deemed the process “well-run” and noted that candidates were campaigning “freely across the country.”

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who serves as the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed strong disapproval of the move. She told MS NOW that the administration’s decision “risks undermining public trust in America’s safe and secure election system.”

Shaheen further added that “The Trump administration’s decision not to invite international observers to the United States is deeply antithetical to the spirit of freedom, democracy and transparency that defines our elections.” She emphasized that the United States should hold “itself to the same standards that we would expect of any other democracy.”

Dan Baer, who served as the United States ambassador to the organization during the Obama administration, highlighted how unusual this approach is for the country. He remarked that “Refusing election observers is usually something that countries in a position of weakness do, when they know that they have corrupt or unfair elections.”

Baer concluded that “It’s very strange for the United States, which has been historically a standard setter in free and fair elections, to refuse observers.”