President Donald Trump on Friday stated he had “never heard about” the concept of declaring a national emergency prior to the 2026 midterm elections through an executive order that would broaden his authority over voting.
The remarks followed reports indicating that pro-Trump activists claiming coordination with White House officials circulated a draft executive order. The proposed order would allege Chinese interference in the 2020 election as justification for declaring a national emergency just before November’s midterms.
When questioned about the report, Trump asked, “Who told you that?” and later stated, “No,” when pressed on whether he was considering such an action, adding, “I’ve never heard about it.”
Election law experts warned that if enacted, the order would likely face immediate judicial challenges. This is because the Constitution generally delegates election administration to states while granting Congress authority over federal contests.
The draft executive order aims to leverage emergency powers to overhaul election administration ahead of the midterms on November 3, which will include all 435 U.S. House seats and numerous Senate and gubernatorial races.
Florida lawyer Peter Ticktin told a reporter he had “certain coordination” with White House officials, though the White House declined to address Trump’s plans.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson stated: “President Trump is committed to ensuring Americans have full confidence in the administration of elections, including totally accurate and up-to-date voter rolls free of errors and unlawfully registered non-citizen voters.” She added that the President has urged Congress to pass the SAVE Act and other legislation establishing uniform photo ID requirements for voting, banning no-excuse mail-in ballots, and ending ballot harvesting.
Trump has long disputed his 2020 election loss, maintaining it was rigged—a position rejected by courts and repeatedly contested by state and federal reviews.
Despite denying plans for a national emergency declaration Friday, Trump has intensified calls for new federal voting requirements before the midterms, framing the effort as an election integrity measure.
At this week’s State of the Union address, Trump urged lawmakers to pass the House-approved Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE America Act), which would mandate proof of citizenship for voter registration and require identification for federal elections. This represents a major shift from current state practices.
Trump declared: “Congress should unite and enact this commonsense, country-saving legislation right now. And it should be before anything else happens.”
Trump has also signaled potential unilateral action if the Senate does not approve the measure, escalating pressure that has concerned voting rights advocates and election officials who warn federal mandates could conflict with state systems and existing law.
Trump wrote on Truth Social: “There will be Voter I.D. for the Midterm Elections, whether approved by Congress or not!”
In March 2025, Trump signed an executive order requiring states to use documentary proof of citizenship and directing the attorney general to target states that count mail ballots received after Election Day. Critics called these steps unlawful, and election administrators warned they could cause confusion for voters.
A federal judge later blocked key provisions of that order following legal challenges arguing it exceeded presidential authority, with ongoing litigation in appeals courts.
The renewed focus on voting rules comes as the 2026 election cycle begins with primary contests in several states, and both major parties brace for a midterm environment that can shift rapidly based on economic conditions, foreign policy developments, and presidential approval ratings.
