Trump to Wayne Root on declaring national security emergency for elections: 'Stranger things have happened'
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Comments: by Max Rego - 08/11/26 7:23 PM ET
by Max Rego - 08/11/26 7:23 PM ET
President Trump on Tuesday left the door open to declaring a national security emergency and federalizing control over the November midterms.
Conservative commentator Wayne Root suggested during an interview with Trump that the president could declare a national emergency if the Senate does not pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act.
The legislation, which Trump and hard-line House GOP lawmakers have pushed Senate Republicans to pass for months, proposes requiring Americans to provide proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and show photo ID at the polls.
"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 said to the president, regarding him declaring a national emergency.
Trump cut Root off, saying, "Let me just say that stranger things have happened, OK? I'll leave it at that."
The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment on the president's remarks.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), Trump and Senate conservatives reached a deal on Friday to defer action on much of the SAVE America Act until after the August recess. The upper chamber returns from its summer break on Sept. 14.
The president has made election integrity a centerpiece of his agenda dating to 2020, after he lost the presidential election that year to former President Biden. Trump has falsely claimed he beat Biden in 2020, pointing to his concerns over mail-in ballots.
The president signed an executive order in March directing the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to restrict delivery of mail-in and absentee ballots that don't provide eligible voter lists to the federal government.
David Steiner, the USPS postmaster general, went ahead with that directive — telling senators in June the policy will ensure "the right ballots are going to the right people." A federal judge in June blocked the administration from seeking state data on eligible voters, while another barred the USPS from implementing the delivery changes in July.
While a federal appeals court in July halted the latter lower court order and allowed the USPS to move forward with the changes, Trump's executive order remains void in nearly two dozen states under the June order.
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, who issued that order in June, reinforced her block on Trump's proposed mail-in voting restrictions on Tuesday.
If the president were to declare a national emergency and federalize the midterms, Congress could prevent him from doing so via a joint resolution — which would likely require veto-proof two-thirds majorities in both chambers.
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I would consider this an impeachable offense.
I'm a few steps beyond that ...
ICE agents and/or NG troops at polling stations would probably result in violence across the country.
Just imagine what will happen if Johnson carries through with his likely plan to refuse to seat newly-elected House Democrats.
trump will try to use ICE and the DHS to obstruct the polling places. the NG will be called up by blue state governors. afaic, any person that took an oath to defend the constitution, that is actively complicit with trump violating the constitution, has signed their own death warrant.
... he'll get to meet geezus ahead of schedule?
That would effectively close the Government and could, potentially, push voters into a sweep in 2028.
trump would probably try to run out the legal clock by croaking this time ...
A revolt that hasn't been seen since the French Revolution
Me, too
Trump is scared. If the Democrats take over Congress they will have the resources to investigate all of Trumps thievery, some of which will almost surely not be covered by his presidential immunity clauses.
Is he still covered under that immunity after he leaves office?
A President only gets immunity for acts done as part of their job. Any acts done outside the scope of their job, whether in, or out, of office is not subject to immunity. An investigation of Trump would be a debate of what falls under the President's job description.
We all know the extent of the corruption during his time in office. I really want to see him prosecuted for all those crimes. I refuse to believe that insider trading is covered under his immunity
Insider trading would not be covered under Presidential immunity, but if we start investigating it, most of Congress would also have to be prosecuted. There are very few people elected to Congress that don't leave much wealthier than they arrived.
If you think that should be done, I'm not sure how it would, or could be done, but I'd agree it should be done anyway.
It is an attempt to 'motivate' the GOP to act against their 'better' judgement, and/or get rid of the filibuster. Trump hates being told no about his 'wants' and. . .impulses. We will see if it has the desired effect —causing the GOP senate to enact 'hostile' legislation.
Trumps intentions are so obvious, need not mentions. What a POS ! The R's control everything. Somehow, when the Dems controlled everything they managed to lose it all...WTF people ?
Y'all can just imagine with me the 'twilight zone' pathways we will be on in 2027-2028 if Trump and his MAGA supporters are left UNCHECKED by others with fleckless power. What do you think will be AFFORDABLE in 2029?
Air?