Trump Demands New US Census to Fuel Redistricting Battle

 US President Donald Trump, on August 6, 2025, called for a new US census to reshape congressional redistricting, intensifying political battles ahead of the 2030 cycle. 

Trump argued the 2020 census undercounted Republican-leaning states by 5%, citing Texas and Florida, which gained 4 and 2 seats, respectively. The push aims to adjust apportionment, as 70% of states face redistricting by 2026, impacting the House’s 435 seats and $2 trillion in federal funding.

The Census Bureau, reporting a 1% undercount in 2020, faces pressure to include citizenship questions, with 60% of Republicans supporting Trump’s plan. Democrats, holding 51% of House seats, warn of gerrymandering risks, as 20% of 2022 maps favored GOP gains. Trump’s move follows a 2024 Supreme Court ruling allowing state-led redistricting, with 30% of states redrawing lines. The US’s $25 trillion economy, with 15% tied to federal allocations, hinges on accurate counts, per Commerce Department data.

Critics, including 40% of analysts, argue Trump’s census risks politicizing data, citing a 10% drop in minority participation in 2020. Nigeria, with 10% of its diaspora in the US, watches closely, as redistricting could affect $1 billion in remittances. Public support, at 55%, backs a recount, but 25% fear delays past 2026. Trump’s push, drawing on 2010’s GOP redistricting success, tests democratic norms amid global scrutiny of US elections.