Top Trump Officials Are Hitting the Campaign Trail Ahead of the Midterms. Are They Allowed To?
Legal experts and advocacy groups contend that in seeking to boost Republicans ahead of the midterms, members of the Administration have violated a decades-old law.
President Donald Trump and several top administration officials have been making campaign appearances to support Republican candidates ahead of the midterm elections. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, FCC Chair Brendan Carr, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum were seen together with the President at a rally in Alaska last month.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also appeared in Wisconsin alongside a Republican congressman to discuss defense production. Vice President JD Vance and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum campaigned in Kansas, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined Trump briefly at a Texas rally. These appearances are part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to boost GOP candidates in the midterms.
However, legal experts and advocacy groups argue that these actions may violate the Hatch Act, a law passed in 1939 that restricts federal employees' political activities. The Hatch Act prohibits government employees from using their official positions to influence elections, and it also restricts the use of government titles during political activities.
Some officials have been accused of violating the Hatch Act by appearing at campaign events while using their titles. The Campaign Legal Center and other groups have filed complaints against multiple Trump administration officials for their political activities during the election season, claiming that these actions violate the Hatch Act.
The administration has defended its officials, stating that they were acting in their personal capacity and that their actions have been reviewed by legal and ethics officials.
Written by urgent.news from Time's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
