Trump leaves door open to election emergency, says stranger things have happened

Washington: President Donald Trump appeared to leave open the possibility of declaring a national security emergency to impose voter identification and citizenship requirements ahead of the US midterm elections.

“Stranger things have happened. Okay. I’ll leave it at that,” Trump said in an interview with Wayne Allyn Root on Real America’s Voice.

Root had urged Trump to invoke emergency powers if the Senate failed to approve the SAVE America Act. He proposed using such authority to require photo identification and proof of citizenship and to limit mail-in ballots.

Trump did not explicitly endorse the proposal. But he repeatedly pressed the Senate to act on election rules that he said were essential ahead of the midterms.

“Well, one thing is the Senate has to get going on SAVE America. I really believe that because people expect that to happen and it has to happen,” Trump said.

“We wanna have proof of citizenship,” he added. “And you got to have voter identification.”

Trump said some Republican senators opposed the measures. He praised House Speaker Mike Johnson and claimed the House had approved the legislation five times, only for it to stall in the Senate.

“The House has passed it five times,” Trump said. He added that it was sent to the Senate “where it finds a place to die”.

The President also renewed his criticism of mail-in voting. He alleged without offering evidence that the system was vulnerable to fraud and singled out election practices in California.

“The mail-in ballots are so corrupt,” Trump said.

“California is one of the most corrupt places for elections,” he added, claiming that Republican voters in some areas had difficulty obtaining ballots.

Root told Trump that the election legislation might not clear the Senate. He also said it could face an immediate legal challenge even if Congress approved it.

He then urged Trump to declare a national security emergency within the next month. Root claimed such a declaration would allow the administration to introduce photo identification, proof-of-citizenship requirements and limits on mail-in voting without waiting for the Senate.

Trump’s response kept the possibility alive without committing his administration to the proposed course. He also argued that congressional passage of the legislation would make challenges more difficult.

“If you get it passed, it’s going to be a big thing,” he said. “You got to have voter identification. And you got to have proof of citizenship.”

The election proposal discussed in the interview is part of a broader Republican effort to require documentary proof of US citizenship when people register to vote in federal elections. Supporters say such requirements would strengthen election safeguards, while opponents argue that eligible citizens without ready access to the necessary documents could be prevented from registering.

Federal law already prohibits non-citizens from voting in federal elections. Elections are administered primarily by state and local authorities within a framework set by the US Constitution and federal law.

IANS