President Trump on Tuesday refused to rule out declaring a national emergency to seize federal control over the November midterm elections, a move that would bypass the Senate's stalled voting legislation. During an interview with conservative commentator Wayne Root, Trump entertained the idea of using emergency powers to impose stricter voter ID and citizenship requirements nationwide.
Root, a longtime Trump ally, suggested the president could act unilaterally if the Senate fails to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act. The bill, which Trump and House hardliners have championed for months, would require proof of citizenship for voter registration and a photo ID at the polls. Root argued that Trump could achieve those goals without Senate approval by declaring a national emergency.
"If you do this in the next month, we will get photo ID, proof of citizenship, and a limit to mail-in ballots and you don't even need the Senate's help," Root told the president. Trump responded, "Let me just say that stranger things have happened, okay? I'll leave it at that." The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The president's remarks come as Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Senate conservatives reached a deal on Friday to delay action on the SAVE Act until after the August recess, with the chamber returning September 14. That timeline has frustrated Trump, who has made election integrity a cornerstone of his political identity since his false claims of a stolen 2020 election, which he lost to former President Biden.
Trump has repeatedly cited concerns about mail-in ballots, and in March he signed an executive order directing the U.S. Postal Service to restrict delivery of mail-in and absentee ballots unless they are tied to federal eligible voter lists. Postmaster General David Steiner has defended the policy, telling senators in June it ensures "the right ballots are going to the right people."
The administration's efforts have faced legal setbacks. A federal judge in June blocked the administration from seeking state voter data, and another barred the USPS from implementing the delivery changes in July. While an appeals court later allowed the USPS to proceed, the executive order remains suspended in nearly two dozen states. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani reinforced her earlier block on the mail-in voting restrictions.
If Trump were to declare a national emergency to federalize the midterms, Congress could attempt to override it via a joint resolution, but that would require veto-proof two-thirds majorities in both chambers—a high bar in a closely divided Congress. Legal experts note that such a declaration would likely face immediate constitutional challenges, as election administration is traditionally a state responsibility under the Constitution.
The president's latest comments signal he is not backing down on his push for stricter voting rules, even as the legislative path remains uncertain. His willingness to consider emergency powers has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats and voting rights advocates, who view it as an overreach of executive authority. Meanwhile, Trump's allies in the House have continued to pressure Senate Republicans to take up the SAVE Act.
In related developments, the administration has faced scrutiny over other executive actions, including revoking temporary protected status for certain immigrants, which critics argue could harm the economy. Trump has also been active on other fronts, such as securing the release of a detained U.S. Marine from Russia without a swap, and endorsing a candidate in Minnesota's gubernatorial primary. As the midterms approach, Trump's focus on election integrity is likely to remain a central theme.
