Donald Trump has raised eyebrows with his suggestion that ‘we shouldn’t even have an election’ just as the midterms approach.
The United States is currently preparing for the midterm elections, in which voters will select members of Congress.
Current polls indicate that the Republicans might face significant challenges in these elections, with Trump’s approval ratings having dropped considerably since his second term in the White House began.
This decline is not only in general perception of Trump but also in relation to key issues of his presidency, such as immigration.
Despite predictions of a difficult midterm outcome for Trump, he seems unfazed by the approaching elections.
In a recent speech, Trump proposed a startling idea, suggesting that instead of competing against the Democrats, the midterms might as well be canceled altogether.
According to Reuters, Trump remarked: “It’s some deep psychological thing, but when you win the presidency, you don’t win the midterms.”
He went on to say that he believed he had accomplished so much that ‘when you think of it, we shouldn’t even have an election.’
During a speech last week, Trump also expressed his frustration at having to compete against the Democrats in the midterms.
This statement came on the fifth anniversary of the January 6 insurrection when his supporters forcibly entered the US Capitol building in Washington.
Since that event, Trump has continually claimed that he did not lose the 2020 election to Joe Biden, despite the fact that accepting a loss would prevent him from seeking office in 2024.
Referring to the Democrats, he commented: “How we have to even run against these people.”
Perhaps testing boundaries, he stated: “I won’t say cancel the election, they should cancel the election, because the fake news will say, ‘He wants the elections canceled. He’s a dictator.’ They always call me a dictator.”
Following this speech, Trump has directed mass immigration raids by ICE in Democratic-leaning cities and states. Minnesota’s governor, Tim Walz, reported that agents were stopping residents and asking for their documentation.
Trump has also threatened to cut federal funding to states whose representatives openly oppose him, including New York City, his hometown, following Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the mayoral race.
Furthermore, Trump hinted at potential situations where he might remain in office, drawing parallels to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky staying in power amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Trump mused: “So let me just say three and a half years from now – so you mean, if we happen to be in a war with somebody, no more elections, oh, I wonder what the fake news would say.”