President Trump on Thursday suggested delaying the 2020 elections, something he does not have the power to do unilaterally, as he levied fresh attacks against mail-in voting.
Trump, who is badly trailing presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in national polls, framed the suggestion as a question and argued that with more mail-in ballots there would be more fraud.
There is no evidence to support the idea that either absentee or mail-in ballots increases voter fraud. It also does not appear that there will be universal mail-in voting this fall, though some states require mail-in ballots.
“With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history,” Trump tweeted. “It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???”
The tweet marked the first time Trump has raised the idea of delaying the November elections, an idea he previously rejected amid concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
But the president has for weeks railed against the expansion of mail-in voting, which more and more states are embracing as an alternative to in-person voting during the pandemic.
Election Day takes place on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November, as determined by federal law. Moving the date would require an act of Congress.
Trump’s tweet is likely to fuel concerns from critics and watchdogs who worry about the president attempting to undermine the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election. In an interview earlier this month with “Fox News Sunday,” Trump would not commit to accepting the results of November’s election.
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JUST IN: Trump raises idea of delaying the 2020 election https://t.co/1FpZ1afGbX pic.twitter.com/KA1JkN7iYi
— The Hill (@thehill) July 30, 2020
Can President Trump delay the election? Our @EugeneDaniels2 took a look earlier this year 👇 pic.twitter.com/EzOOC1R5hB
— POLITICO (@politico) July 30, 2020
He has no power to do this, of course, but I will be fascinated to see the full-throated defenses of the Constitution from the Trump-enabling conservative media and GOP electeds.
You know, the things you'd have said if Obama had even *thought* this.— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) July 30, 2020
Get your absentee ballot.
Do it today.
Vote the moment you can.
This has to be an electoral college wipeout, and it has to hurt.
He has to be crushed, humiliated, and driven from office, public life, and society.
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) July 30, 2020
The solution to this is to vote in large numbers so that even if some GOP secretary of state doesn't want to send electors it won't matter. Stay calm, hold Republicans responsible for defending his crackpot, paranoid ideas, and vote in huge numbers. https://t.co/mY91jRAPfJ
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) July 30, 2020
https://t.co/oMePlEQ6Wr pic.twitter.com/73Oa2FCsWU
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) July 30, 2020
Nope, nope, nope. Not good, not legal. The rules are the rules.
Also: begging abjectly is a bad look. This is not how a man who thinks he still has any chance to win talks. https://t.co/FgMdx2VZvr
— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) July 30, 2020
That's exactly what this was. A desperation trial balloon. Notice how Trump frames it as him just asking the question??? https://t.co/Mx4a1VCNfw
— Matt Lewis (@mattklewis) July 30, 2020
This thread, calling out the Trump-verstehers who thought it was *outrageous* of Biden in April to suggest that Trump would want to postpone the election, is something. https://t.co/Gbaf5iv9Yk
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) July 30, 2020
This is the most destructive president we have ever had. https://t.co/4tQKQJUOjx
— Robert Tracinski (@Tracinski) July 30, 2020
.@senatemajldr has gone full #MoscowMitch in the face of @realDonaldTrump’s words on delaying a General Election. #WeWillVote https://t.co/vmwkzSsnRW
— Reed Galen (@reedgalen) July 30, 2020
The fraud part has been addressed many times (there's no evidence for widespread fraud!), but one thing we're whistling past is that most states won't have universal mail-in voting! Five states have it regularly. Just two, CA and VT, have added it because of the pandemic https://t.co/8r7ocRbzZf
— Zach Montellaro (@ZachMontellaro) July 30, 2020
Lincoln did not delay elections during the Civil War.
FDR did not delay elections during World War II.
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) July 30, 2020
Credit where it’s due. I hope other Republicans follow @AriFleischer’a lead here. https://t.co/0s9bp6mAWz
— Tom Wright (@thomaswright08) July 30, 2020
In the midst of a civil war, one that for Americans was the deadliest armed conflict in history, 150,000 Union soldiers voted by mail in 1864. Their votes helped ensure the re-election of President Abraham Lincoln, the preservation of the nation, and the end of slavery.
— George Conway (@gtconway3d) July 30, 2020
In a healthy polity, Trump's election postponement tweet would get him removed from office. It's clear as day that he's actively seeking to prevent a free and fair election.
— Will Wilkinson 🌐 (@willwilkinson) July 30, 2020
Trump bloviating about postponing the election is terrible, but it's why I want him on Twitter.
– It's an idea that horrifies people, even most of those on his side
– it forces GOP electeds to have to comment on itThe person you should be watching right now, however, is Barr. https://t.co/5ftr4Slren
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) July 30, 2020
Where does Joe Biden go to get his apology https://t.co/x5GWDVUAUC
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) July 30, 2020
GOP electeds collectively shitting their britches (to use a political science term) https://t.co/w4bpUXMsJ8
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) July 30, 2020
.@GOPLeader: "We should go forward with our election." pic.twitter.com/8Ds110L57u
— The Hill (@thehill) July 30, 2020
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