Mystery mailings put Congress and election offices on edge

Over three dozen lawmakers and election offices in 32 states have been targeted with suspicious letters containing a white powder, prompting evacuations and raising concerns about political intimidation just weeks before the 2026 midterms. The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating the incidents, with some letters containing an unknown substance and other letters claiming to be from the Democratic Socialists of America, though the latter organization denies any involvement.

Lawmakers such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sens. Amy Klobuchar, Susan Collins, and Pete Ricketts have received the letters, as have election offices in several states. Authorities have intercepted many of the letters, but in some locations like Oklahoma, Arizona, and Delaware, the letters arrived and led to evacuations.

Preliminary testing of the powder found no hazardous materials. The FBI is working to identify the sender of the letters, which have not been connected to any specific incidents or coordinated attack.