Washington DC - Senate Democrats have launched a new initiative in response to President Donald Trump's threats to influence elections ahead of the November midterms.

In a press release shared on Thursday, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and California Senator Alex Padilla announced the launch of the Election Observer Program, described as "a first-of-its-kind Senate initiative to train Senate staff to serve as official election observers and protect against any meddling in the 2026 midterm elections."

The politicians argued that as the midterms draw closer, Trump has escalated his rhetoric of undermining confidence in elections, sowing doubt in their results, and pushing efforts to "take over the voting."

They pointed to the president's recent refusal to sign off on a bipartisan housing bill until the SAVE America Act – legislation that would restrict voter registration – is passed.

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The statement says staffers will "document any attempted voter interference, threats against election workers, misinformation, disinformation, and other attempts to meddle with fair elections, both on Election Day and in the post-election canvass and certification process."

For years, Trump has insisted that US elections are rife with fraud, despite countless studies finding it extremely rare.

MAGA allies, such as Trump's former adviser Steve Bannon, have suggested the president may deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to polling stations in November – though the Department of Homeland Security has insisted it is "disinformation."