Trump raises possibility of delaying November US presidential election
US President Donald Trump on Thursday raised the possibility of delaying the nation's November presidential election despite its date being enshrined in the US Constitution.
Trump, without evidence, repeated his claims of mail-in voter fraud and raised the question of a delay, writing: "delay the election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???"
With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 30, 2020
Representatives for the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump has cast doubt on the legitimacy of mail-in ballots, which have been used in far greater numbers in primary elections amid the coronavirus pandemic.
He has also made unsubstantiated allegations that voting will be rigged and has refused to say he would accept official election results if he lost.
Democrats, including presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden, have already begun preparations to protect voters and the election amid fears that Trump will try to interfere with the Nov. 3 election.
Twitter users reacted with dismay to Trump's suggestion.
▪️The economy fell by 33%, the largest drop in US HISTORY.
▪️There were 1,430,000 new unemployment claims.
▪️150,000 Americans have died of covid-19.
All bc of Trump's devastating incompetence.
HE DOES NOT HAVE THE POWER TO MOVE THE ELECTION
He's saying it as a distraction.— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) July 30, 2020
To be clear, I'm not worried that Trump can delay the election. I'm worried Trump can incite violence.
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) July 30, 2020
Coincidence that Trump is tweeting about delaying the election right as we get the worst GDP numbers in recorded U.S. history?
— Ben White (@morningmoneyben) July 30, 2020
OMG: Now Trump is floating the idea of DELAYING THE ELECTION, which only an Act of Congress can do. So he's saying he'll claim the results of the undelayed election we're bound to have on November 3 are FRAUDULENT regardless of the electoral votes Congress certifies on January 6! https://t.co/c8OLOx83Lo
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) July 30, 2020
Trump floating a delay of the election may be a distraction from the GDP news. But it still is deadly serious. GOP lawmakers saying they haven't seen or don't respond to his tweet won't particularly cut it today
— Sam Stein (@samstein) July 30, 2020
People need to push back on trump trying to Delay the election. This may start as a dumb tweet but if Americans don't push back....
— Molly Jong-Fast🏡 (@MollyJongFast) July 30, 2020
