U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche stated on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, that the Trump administration will comply with a Supreme Court ruling that blocked new mail-in ballot regulations. During a White House press briefing in the Rose Garden, Blanche addressed the administration's response to the court's decision, which halted U.S. Postal Service plans to implement design and tracking requirements for mail ballots ahead of the November midterm elections. The briefing also covered federal policy on artificial intelligence, the conflict in Iran, and articles of impeachment filed against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The Supreme Court ruling, issued on Monday, September 14, 2026, blocked rules finalized last month that would have required mail ballot envelopes to feature specific barcodes and mandated that local officials use a government-operated portal to share voter information. State and local election officials had cautioned that the changes, introduced while many states were already mailing ballots, could lead to voter disenfranchisement. In a brief unsigned order, the court stated the government was unlikely to succeed on the merits of the case. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented, while Justice Brett Kavanaugh joined the majority in blocking the rules.
President Trump criticized the ruling on Tuesday, writing on Truth Social that the court was being "bullied" by the "Radical Left" and calling the decision "destructive." Blanche defended the president’s remarks, stating that Trump has "every right" to communicate his concerns and frustrations with another branch of government. Blanche also addressed questions regarding Defense Secretary Hegseth, who faces articles of impeachment filed by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) regarding the administration's handling of the conflict in Iran. Blanche stated Hegseth is doing a "phenomenal job" and follows the law, while also disputing the characterization of the engagement in Iran as a "war."
On the topic of technology, Blanche stated that the administration does not intend to regulate artificial intelligence (AI), suggesting instead that companies like OpenAI and Anthropic should "regulate themselves." He stated that existing criminal laws are sufficient to prosecute illegal acts associated with the technology. Regarding election security, Blanche said the Department of Justice is prioritizing "unlawful voting," though he did not provide specifics on an FBI raid related to 2020 election fraud allegations or claims regarding the political affiliation of the individual who attempted to assassinate the president.
For the individual voter, mail-in ballot formats and submission processes will remain consistent with established state rules rather than shifting to the administration's proposed federal standards. The impact is most immediate for election workers in several states that have already begun the mailing process. These officials had expressed concern that changing requirements in September would lead to technical delays or the rejection of ballots that did not meet the new barcodes' specifications.
The administration’s stance on AI regulation suggests that federal oversight will rely on existing criminal statutes rather than new regulatory frameworks. Meanwhile, the conflict in Iran continues to influence domestic policy and grocery prices, though the Attorney General disputed the terminology used to describe the engagement. The administration now faces the November midterms following this legal setback at the Supreme Court, with Blanche confirming that despite the administration's disagreement with the ruling, the government will follow the court's order.