US President Donald Trump on Friday warned he might bypass Congress to enforce new voting laws ahead of the November midterm elections, amid Republican fears of losing control of the legislature.
Trump said he plans to issue an executive order if Congress does not pass legislation requiring photo identification for voters and other nationwide election reforms. Any such move would likely face immediate legal challenges and could ultimately reach the Supreme Court.
“There will be Voter I.D. for the Midterm Elections, whether approved by Congress or not!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“If we can’t get it through Congress, there are Legal reasons why this SCAM is not permitted. I will be presenting them shortly, in the form of an Executive Order,” he added.
While many states already require photo ID to vote, not all do. Trump and many Republicans claim, without evidence, that states lacking such laws have experienced significant voter fraud.
This week, the Republican-controlled House passed the Trump-backed “SAVE America” election reform act, which would mandate photo ID to vote and proof of citizenship to register. However, the legislation is expected to fail in the Senate, where the GOP majority is too slim to pass it without Democratic support.
Critics argue that the bill’s requirements would disenfranchise millions of Americans lacking passports or birth certificates. A Brennan Center analysis found that over 21 million citizens face barriers to accessing such documents, disproportionately affecting young people and ethnic minorities.
Trump’s push for federal election reforms also raises constitutional questions, as US states maintain broad control over elections. How the president could legally enforce a national voter ID mandate remains unclear, though Trump has repeatedly overturned traditional White House norms.
In his post, Trump reiterated his debunked claims of widespread election fraud, which he has previously used to justify his failed attempt to overturn the 2020 election results.
With polls showing Republicans at risk of losing control of Congress, especially the House, Democrats have pledged to block Trump’s agenda and could consider impeachment if they gain power.
