President Donald Trump on Tuesday doubled down on his controversial suggestion that Republicans “nationalize” elections<\/a> as he continued to make false claims of widespread voter fraud and refused to accept his 2020 defeat.<\/p>\n “If a state\u00a0can’t\u00a0run an election, I think the people behind me should do something about it,” Trump said as he held a bill signing in the Oval Office surrounded by Republican lawmakers. “Because, you know, if you think about it, the state is an agent for the federal government in elections. I\u00a0don’t\u00a0know why the federal government\u00a0doesn’t\u00a0do ’em anyway.”<\/p>\n Trump added that, in some cases, “The federal government should get involved. These are agents of the federal government to count the votes. If they can’t count the votes legally and honestly, then somebody else should take it over.”<\/p>\n President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Washington, before signing a spending bill that will end a partial shutdown of the federal government.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Alex Brandon\/AP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n He repeated unfounded claims about the 2020 election, listing Detroit, Philadelphia, and Atlanta after raising what he alleged to be \u201crigged, crooked elections.”<\/p>\n The Constitution gives states the authority to run and administer federal elections, subject to laws passed by Congress.<\/p>\n The White House earlier Tuesday had sought to soften Trump’s similar comments from Monday — after Republican congressional leaders poured cold water on his idea.<\/p>\n Democrats, too, quickly blasted his remarks, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer likening them to that of a dictator.<\/p>\n White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday told reporters that Trump still supports states’ constitutional authority to administer elections and that he was referring to the SAVE Act when he advocated for nationalizing elections.<\/p>\n “I don’t think any rational person who’s being honest with themselves would disagree with the idea of requiring citizens of this country to present an ID before casting a ballot in a federal election, or, frankly, in any election, and that’s something the president wants to see happen,” Leavitt said.<\/p>\n “The president believes in the United States Constitution, however, he believes there has obviously been a lot of fraud and irregularities that have taken place in American elections,” she said.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, when a reporter reminded him that the Constitution dictates states should administer elections, Trump responded, “You know what,\u00a0they can administer the election, but they have to do it honestly.”\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The Trump administration’s sought to make several changes ahead of the 2026 midterms, including mid-decade redistricting in order to gain additional House seats and pressing at least 24 states to turn over voter data.<\/p>\n White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks to the members of the media outside the White House in Washington, February 3, 2026.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Evelyn Hockstein\/Reuters<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The GOP’s SAVE Act would require states to obtain proof of citizenship before registering a person to vote for a federal election. Schumer has said the bill is a nonstarter in the Senate, where it would need 60 votes to advance over a Democratic filibuster.<\/p>\n Noncitizens are already prohibited from voting in federal and state elections, though some cities and localities allow noncitizens to vote in some local elections.<\/p>\n![\"Alex](\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/da23e68c-506b-4980-a61e-32095dce13b0\/donald-trump-6-ap-gmh-260203_1770155067321_hpMain.jpg?w=375 "\\"Alex")
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