White House Won't Rule Out ICE Near Polls After Bannon Threat
Leavitt said on Feb. 5, 2026 she had not heard President Donald Trump discuss formal plans to deploy ICE to polling locations.
Overview
At a Feb. 5, 2026 briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said she has not heard President Donald Trump discuss formal plans to put ICE at polling locations and would not rule out federal presence.
Former White House adviser Steve Bannon said on his War Room podcast, "You're damn right we're gonna have ICE surround the polls come November," a comment that prompted voter-intimidation concerns.
Karoline Leavitt called a reporter's question about ICE at polling places "silly" and "disingenuous" during the Feb. 5, 2026 briefing, according to the White House transcript.
FBI agents and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard executed a search warrant at Fulton County, Georgia election facilities and seized ballots from the Nov. 2020 election, officials said.
Election law experts warned the threats could suppress turnout and urged states and voting-rights groups to seek injunctions and prepare litigation ahead of the Nov. 2026 midterm elections.
Analysis
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Sources (5)
FAQ
Steve Bannon said on his War Room podcast, 'You’re damn right we’re gonna have ICE surround the polls come November,' referring to the 2026 midterm elections.
Leavitt said she had not heard President Trump discuss formal plans to deploy ICE to polling locations but refused to rule it out, calling the question 'silly' and 'disingenuous'.
FBI agents and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard executed a search warrant at Fulton County, Georgia election facilities and seized ballots from the November 2020 election.
Experts warn that deploying ICE near polls could intimidate voters, suppress turnout, and violate laws prohibiting intimidation at polling places, potentially undermining free elections.
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