Trump administration skips OSCE observers for November midterms, joining Russia and Belarus
The Trump administration did not invite OSCE election monitors for the November 3 midterms, a practice abandoned for the first time in over two decades and aligning the U.S. with Russia and Belarus.
A new report reveals that the Trump administration has broken a 24-year tradition by not inviting OSCE observers to monitor the November 3 midterm elections, making the United States the first country in over two decades to forgo such oversight. The OSCE, which has watched every U.S. federal election since 2002, described the omission as regrettable and inconsistent with commitments under the Copenhagen Document. State Department officials defended the choice, saying the OSCE should focus its limited resources on elections where it can have the greatest impact.
Human Rights Watch noted the decision undermines external scrutiny, echoing the criticism the U.S. often levels at Russia and Belarus, which also barred observers. Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking Democrat Jeanne Shaheen warned the move could erode confidence in America’s electoral system. Meanwhile, the Justice Department plans a record deployment of up to 1,000 domestic monitors to enforce federal election laws.
Why it matters
Skipping international observers may weaken confidence in the fairness of U.S. elections and aligns the U.S. with authoritarian practices.
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