Washington: President Donald Trump has called for stronger federal involvement in US elections, arguing that states that fail to conduct elections “legally and honestly” should face federal intervention.
Speaking to reporters at the White House after signing a major spending bill Tuesday (local time), Trump questioned the current system for state-administered elections.
“I want to see elections, be honest,” he said. “If a state can’t run an election, I think the people behind me should do something about it.”
Trump said states act as agents of the federal government in elections and suggested Washington should step in when problems arise.
“A state is an agent for the federal government in elections,” he said.
“If they can’t count the votes legally and honestly, then somebody else should take over.”
When a reporter noted that the Constitution gives states authority over elections, Trump responded, “They can administer the election, but they have to do it honestly.”
He repeated claims of election irregularities in past contests and cited several cities as examples.
“Take a look at Detroit, take a look at Pennsylvania, take a look at Philadelphia, you go take a look at Atlanta,” he said. “Horrible corruption in elections.”
Trump also renewed his call for voter identification requirements. “We should have Voter ID,” he said. “Who would not want Voter ID? Only somebody who wants to cheat.”
The President linked election integrity to broader concerns about governance and public trust, saying the federal government should not allow what he described as “crooked elections.”
On immigration, Trump defended his administration’s enforcement policies and rejected suggestions that immigration agents should be required to obtain search warrants in some instances, an idea raised by Democratic leaders.
“I haven’t even thought of it,” Trump said when asked about requiring warrants for Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions. “No, I’m not thinking about search warrants.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham strongly backed Trump, criticising sanctuary city policies and warning they encourage illegal immigration. “As long as 12 states have a sanctuary policy, they’ll keep coming,” Graham said. “These magnets of illegal immigration have to go.”
Graham said he planned to push legislation to end sanctuary city policies. “We’re going to take it to the floor, and we’re going to vote,” he said, adding that the issue would be central in upcoming elections.
Trump echoed those views, calling sanctuary policies “a sanctuary for criminals.”
He urged local authorities to cooperate with federal officials. “All they have to do is hand over their criminals,” he said.
The President also claimed that stricter enforcement had sharply reduced crime. He said border crossings had dropped dramatically and asserted that violent crime nationwide was at its lowest level in more than a century. “The crime rate now is the lowest it’s been since 1900,” Trump said.
Trump further alleged large-scale fraud in some states, specifically Minnesota and California, and suggested that uncovering fraud could eliminate budget deficits.
“If we find the fraud in this country, you’ll have a balanced budget without even cutting anything,” he said.
