US President Donald Trump has sharply criticized the integrity of the US election, calling it “rigged, stolen and a laughing stock around the world”. His remarks, posted on Truth Social, came as he outlined a series of proposed reforms aimed at tightening voting rules nationwide.
Trump urged Republicans to support his proposed SAVE AMERICA Act, which he says is necessary to “fix” the country’s electoral system. Key measures he outlined include:
Mandatory Voter ID – All voters must present a government-issued ID in order to vote.
Proof of US Citizenship – Individuals must present proof of citizenship when registering to vote.
Restrictions on mail-in ballots – Mail-in ballots would be restricted to those who are sick, disabled, in the military, or traveling.
Trump’s warning
Trump emphasized the urgency of the reforms, saying that failure to implement them could jeopardize the future of the United States. “Either we fix them or we have no country,” he wrote, calling the reforms essential to protecting American democracy.
Claims of fraud face rejection
Trump’s proposals come amid repeated claims of voter fraud following his defeat in 2020. However, several nonpartisan investigations, audits and court rulings have found no evidence of widespread fraud that could have altered the election’s results:
Court cases challenging the results have been dismissed or lost, including by Trump-appointed judges.
Controversy over federal intervention
Trump’s latest proposals follow remarks in which he suggested Republicans “nationalize” and “take over” election processes in at least 15 unspecified US locations. Critics have warned that such federal involvement could undermine the independence of state and county election authorities, which traditionally oversee elections under the U.S. Constitution.
While Congress can set certain federal election standards, the Constitution primarily gives states responsibility for holding their own elections, a point of contention in Trump’s proposals.
Trump’s push for strict voter ID laws and restrictions on mail-in ballots signals a continuation of his campaign strategy beyond 2020, appealing to his core supporters who see the election process as flawed.