‘That was some bull****’: State election chiefs condemn Trump’s long-debunked election lies

RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA — State election officials widely condemned President Donald Trump’s Thursday night speech, which pushed debunked election lies alleging foreign interference in the 2020 election. 

Many election chiefs gathered here this week for a conference of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) to discuss preparations for the midterm elections. When Trump delivered his address to the nation, the secretaries attended a dinner at Mount Rushmore. 

“When he casts doubt on elections, it is a disservice to the country,” Connecticut Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas (D), who attended the conference, said in an interview with Democracy Docket.

Thomas said she’s frequently stopped by voters in her state who tell her they’re scared to vote because they’re worried “something might happen” at polling sites. 

“To create that environment has a chilling effect on turnout,” Thomas added. “And like every other election administrator in the country, we are in this business to make sure that every eligible voter can go out and cast a ballot. We don’t want a chilling effect. We want to build strong processes and continue running elections as we always have.”

Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon (D), who spoke with Democracy Docket at the conference before Trump’s speech, reiterated that Trump’s bogus 2020 election claims — which accused intelligence officials of suppressing foreign election threats — happened when he was president. 

“The FBI director, the CIA director, the NSA director, the director of national intelligence, were all Trump appointees,” Simon said. “He controlled the machinery of government entirely and thoroughly from top to bottom heading into that election. So, if what he announces is what he perceives is some smoking gun insight about outside actors, intentions or even actions, then it seems to me that he and his first administration would be to blame. So, is he saying that they didn’t catch it, that they dropped the ball, or is he saying something else?”

Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs (D) told Democracy Docket at the conference that his office has game-planned for worst-case scenarios of federal interference in November. 

“Every state, including ours, we prepare for the worst,” Hobbs said. “And that’s what we try to do, but we hope for the best. We’ve talked to our county auditors; if something were to happen, we’re prepared. If it comes to the worst-case scenario, we’ll respond with a lawsuit. That’s what we’ll do, working with the Attorney General’s Office.”

But Hobbs admitted that Trump’s latest attack on voting is starting to wear thin on him. 

“I’m trying to be a glass-half-full type of person, but he’s wearing me down with these proclamations and executive orders and these bogus lawsuits,” he said. 

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R), who Trump demanded “find 11,780 votes” in 2020 to steal the vote in the Peach State, had a different reaction to the president’s speech.

“The President said a lot tonight,” he told Democracy Docket at the conference. “I will review the reports and supporting documents before responding further.

“However, I appreciate his strong commitment to curbing voter fraud by encouraging states to adopt laws and processes like Georgia’s. With photo ID, citizenship checks, list maintenance, and rigorous audits, the Peach State remains the gold standard for those who want secure, accessible, and fair elections.”

Other state election chiefs who didn’t attend the NASS conference also condemned Trump’s address.  

“Donald Trump continues to spread election lies,” Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold (D) said in a statement. “In his second term, he has actively worked to undermine the nation’s elections and make them less secure. Now Trump is doubling down on the tactic he knows best: lying and misleading the public about American elections.”

During the president’s tirade, Trump rehashed a long-debunked conspiracy about a voter registration drive in Michigan in the lead-up to the 2020 election. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) condemned the president’s remarks. 

“None of his rhetoric changes what’s true: Michigan’s elections are secure and safe and the results are an accurate reflection of the will of the people,” Benson said in a statement. “This was the case in 2020, 2022, 2024, and will be again in 2026. Because in every election, over 1,600 bipartisan professional election administrators and thousands of trained poll workers ensure that the law is followed and that every valid vote counts. And after every election, we conduct dozens of professional audits at every level to reinforce this fact.”

Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar (D) had a more succinct reaction to Trump’s speech.

“That was some bullshit,” Aguilar said in a statement.