A federal judge has declined to halt President Donald Trump’s executive order creating a federal voter list and limiting mail voting, clearing the way for potential sweeping changes in how American elections are run shortly before this year's midterm elections.
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee in Washington, late Wednesday rejected the request by Democrats and civil rights groups that had argued Trump’s order would likely be found unconstitutional because the states and Congress, not the president, have the power to set election rules. Nichols agreed with the Republican Trump administration's contention that it was too early to block the order because it has yet to be implemented.
Nichols' ruling leaves the door open for further challenges when the Trump administration moves to implement the president's directive. A separate lawsuit seeking to block the executive order is underway in Boston. No matter how rapidly the administration acts, no voting changes are expected during primary elections, which continue into next month.
“The Court recognizes that the Postal Service may ultimately issue a final rule that directly affects Plaintiffs or their members, or that the Government may develop State Citizenship Lists that omit specific individuals due to particularized flaws,” Nichols wrote. “Plaintiffs may, of course, renew their motions if and when those future actions occur. Until then, however, Plaintiffs cannot show that preliminary injunctive relief is warranted.”
The Trump administration has yet to formally issue lists of eligible voters, and those who filed the initial request for a temporary halt said they'd be back if the administration moves in that direction.
“We are ready to resume the fight if and when the administration takes those next steps,” said Juan Proaño, chief executive officer of the League of United Latin American Citizens, one of the organizations that sought the stay from Nichols.
Democratic party organizations that sought the order issued a joint statement with similar promises. “We are confident we will prevail in the end when this illegal and completely unworkable executive order is fully adjudicated,” the statement said.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
Trump issued the order in March after a bill he supported to overhaul voting stalled in Congress. The order would have had the federal government create a list of eligible voters and then directed the U.S. Postal Service to deliver mail ballots only to those on the list. Election officials argued it was ripe for abuse and could cause chaos, and the postal union has objected to the idea of mail carriers policing ballots.
Since his 2020 presidential election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, Trump has groundlessly claimed mail voting is rife with fraud and has launched a federal investigation into that year's vote, even though repeated audits and investigations, including ones run by Republicans, found it was free of widespread fraud. Trump also has said he wants to “take over” election administration in Democratic areas.
Democrats and civil rights groups argued it was urgent that Nichols issue a restraining order in the midst of primary season and with states already gearing up for the fall midterm elections.
This was Trump's second executive order seeking to overhaul elections and voting. His initial election executive order, issued just months after he took office in his second term, has been blocked by multiplefederal judges. That order sought to require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote, among other changes.
A voter drops off their ballot at a library in Portland, Ore. serving as a ballot dropbox site as Oregon held primary elections on May 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Claire Rush)
FILE - A tray of mail-in ballots is seen at King County Elections headquarters on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024, in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, File)
President Donald Trump listens during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
The Champions League, European club soccer's most important trophy, is at stake when Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal meet in Budapest on Saturday. For PSG and Luis Enrique, it doesn’t end there.
On the line for the defending champion and its serial-winning Spanish coach is the chance to stake its claim to be considered the greatest team of this era.
“I arrived at the club thinking, ‘My objective is to make history,’ and we have indeed made history,” Luis Enrique said. “We want to keep writing the story because we believe there’s still more there for us to achieve.”
PSG is already in the conversation when it comes to judging the finest teams to have won the title in the age of the Champions League. But sometimes cold, hard facts are required to drive the point home.
Victory at Puskas Arena would see PSG become only the second team to retain the trophy since the old European Cup was rebranded as the Champions League in 1992.
For many years it didn't happen even for teams regarded as generationally great.
Pep Guardiola's Barcelona won two in three years. AC Milan and Juventus each reached three consecutive finals in the '90s but only won one apiece. Ajax and Manchester United took title defenses all the way to the final only to fall at the last hurdle.
Real Madrid — winner of more European titles than any other club — finally bucked that trend, winning three in a row from 2016-18. What seemed unthinkable before and since would suddenly seem a very real target for PSG if it prevails on Saturday.
Luis Enrique would join Guardiola and Zinedine Zidane as a three-time Champions League winner. Not that his motivation is based on personal accolades.
Having won the Champions League with Barcelona, Luis Enrique has produced a PSG team that has set the benchmark in Europe over the past two seasons. It combines attacking flair with an energy and tenacity that appears to be moving the sport in a new direction. A team that plays with a high risk of being exposed defensively for the ultimate reward.
At its best, PSG seems unstoppable, with last year's 5-0 rout of Inter Milan in the final the most dominant in the tournament's 70-year history.
And with a squad that has an average age of under 24, the potential is there for it to dominate for years to come.
Desire Doue, the two-goal hero of last year's final, is just 20. Tireless midfielder Joao Neves is 21.
It is plain to see in PSG's performances — such as the 5-4 win over Bayern Munich in the semifinals — that this is a special team, but titles are needed to confirm its status among the greatest.
To many, Guardiola's Barcelona that won in 2009 and 2011 with Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta is the benchmark for the modern era.
To some, Luis Enrique's title-winning Barcelona team in 2015, spearheaded by Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, was even better.
Statistically, none can match Zinedine Zidane's Madrid team of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos that won three consecutive titles. Over a five-year period Madrid was European champion four times.
Overall, PSG has a long way to go to come close to Madrid's 15 titles, having won the Champions League for the first time last year. But it can stake its claim to be considered the best of its era.
PSG has certainly taken its time to reach this point. Backed by Qatari riches, it bought the best players in the world in its bid to conquer Europe — Messi, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Zlatan Ibrahimovic as billions of dollars were spent.
It wasn't until there was a shift in focus to a more team-based model — still packed with superstars acquired at exorbitant cost — that PSG reached the summit.
Out went the Galacticos Messi, Neymar and finally Mbappe. In came Doue, Joao Neves, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Ousmane Dembele — a player who hadn't fulfilled expectations at Barcelona — who re-emerged in Paris as the talisman of a spectacularly talented, but inexperienced group.
A semifinal in Luis Enrique's first campaign was followed by last year's triumph and the chance to go back-to-back this season.
“I’d say there was more pressure last season because everyone was like, ‘This is it! We can’t lose this time!’” Luis Enrique said. “This time around, there is pressure because we believe we deserve it.”
While PSG targets history, Arsenal is aiming to pull off an upset and win its first Champions League title.
The Premier League champion advanced to the final after topping the league phase with a perfect winning record.
Mikel Arteta's team lost to PSG in last year's semifinals.
“It’s two teams that are exceptional in the way they function, (how) they adapt and the intensity they play with,” Arteta said. “We’re going to have to be our best version to win it.”
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Arsenal players celebrate their Premier League title with the trophy after the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal in London, England, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
