On Tuesday, President Donald Trump intensified his stance, encouraging Republicans to seize control of election proceedings. This move contradicted the efforts of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to clarify his previous contentious comments about the federal government taking control of voting.
In a podcast interview with Dan Bongino, Trump, aged 79, reiterated his position that Republicans should “nationalize” elections by overseeing ballot casting and counting procedures. The president’s remarks surfaced just a few hours after Leavitt, 28, tried to reframe his comments, suggesting he was referencing the prospective SAVE Act.
When questioned about his intention behind the federal control of elections, Trump stated in the Oval Office, “I want to see elections be honest.”
Trump proposed that states function as agents for the federal government during elections. He accused several cities governed by Democrats, including Detroit, Michigan; Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Atlanta, Georgia, and Fulton County, Georgia, of election corruption.
The president urged Republicans to control voting in a minimum of 15 locations, making unfounded allegations about election fraud and corruption in Democratic cities, without providing proof. Trump also alleged that immigrants were being brought into the country specifically to vote illegally, despite noncitizen voting being unlawful.
Earlier on Tuesday, Leavitt had tried to clarify the president’s declaration.
Leavitt explained, “What the president was referring to is the SAVE Act, which is a significant, commonsense piece of legislation that Republicans have supported that President Trump is committed to signing into law during his term.”
However, Trump did not mention the SAVE Act in his discussion with Bongino on Monday. The proposed act does not give the federal government the power to take control of elections in specific states. Leavitt stated that Trump had conversed with House Speaker Mike Johnson about the SAVE Act.
The SAVE Act, formally known as the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, demands proof of citizenship for voter registration. The legislation has been passed by the GOP-controlled House.
These comments by Trump are his latest attempt to spread election misinformation and reignite baseless allegations about rigged U.S. elections. He was defeated in the 2020 election by Joe Biden.
Trump’s remarks come at a time when he is casting shadows on his party’s chances in the forthcoming November midterm elections. The 2026 midterms pose a crucial challenge for Republicans as they strive to retain control of Congress.
Even Republican leaders in Capitol Hill have resisted Trump’s call to nationalize voting. Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressed his opposition to federalizing elections, while House Speaker Johnson, aged 54, suggested that Trump was merely expressing discontent with Democratic states.
Primarily, U.S. elections are regulated by state law and are executed by local officials nationwide. The election system has been a fundamental pillar of American democracy since the country’s inception, with states having significant autonomy over election procedures, voter registration requirements, and ballot counting methods.
The Constitution grants vast authority to states to conduct elections, with Congress having limited power to control the “times, places and manner” of federal elections. Any attempt to federalize election administration would likely face substantial constitutional challenges and would require congressional action.
Trump’s proposal for a federal takeover of elections in specific areas is an unprecedented suggestion by a sitting president. Historically, federal intervention in state elections has been confined to enforcing voting rights laws, particularly in cases of proven discrimination.
The FBI recently conducted a raid on the Fulton County, Georgia, elections offices, a location where the president has frequently made baseless allegations of election fraud. Federal officials confiscated records but offered little explanation as the Trump administration continues its pursuit of alleged voter fraud.
Election security experts point out that U.S. elections involve thousands of separate jurisdictions, each with its own procedures and safeguards. This decentralized system makes large-scale fraud extremely challenging to orchestrate. Several audits and court cases post the 2020 election found no proof of fraud significant enough to alter the outcome.
The SAVE Act, which Leavitt cited as the president’s primary concern, would transfer the burden of proof from election officials to individual voters. At present, election officials validate eligibility using state and federal databases. The proposed legislation would require all Americans to present documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote or updating their registration.
Under the SAVE Act, government-issued driver’s licenses, including REAL IDs, as well as military and tribal IDs, would not be considered sufficient documentation. The legislation would disrupt online and mail-in voter registration processes that millions of Americans currently utilize.
Opponents of the SAVE Act caution that it would create hurdles for millions of U.S. citizens trying to exercise their voting rights. Birth certificates and passports would become essential documents for voter registration, potentially disenfranchising citizens who do not have easy access to such documents.
Republicans argue that the bill is needed to prevent noncitizen voting in federal elections. However, research has consistently shown that noncitizen voting is extremely uncommon in U.S. elections.
Johnson admitted he could not provide proof of fraud but expressed his concern about Democratic states. When questioned directly about a “takeover,” Johnson responded “no, no, no” as he withdrew from reporters.
