Trump Says Republicans Should ‘Take Over’ Voting ‘In At Least 15 Places’

Key Concepts

• Nationalize Voting: The concept of the federal government assuming control of election administration, currently managed primarily at the state level.
• Unfounded Claims of Voter Fraud: Repeated assertions by Donald Trump regarding widespread illegal voting, particularly by undocumented immigrants.
• Fulton County Ballot Seizure: An FBI raid in Fulton County, Georgia, targeting 2020 election ballots, prompting a potential lawsuit from the county.
• 2020 Election Disputed Results: Ongoing claims by Donald Trump that the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent and that he was the true winner.

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Trump's Calls for Republican Election Control & Continued Fraud Claims

On Monday, former President Donald Trump publicly urged Republicans to “take over the voting in at least 15 places,” directly linking this call to his unsubstantiated allegations of illegal voting by undocumented immigrants. He stated, “These people were brought to our country to vote,” framing this as a deliberate effort to benefit the Democratic party. This statement reflects a continuation of claims made throughout and after the 2020 election cycle. Trump criticized the Republican party for what he perceives as a lack of aggressive action against perceived voter fraud.

Proposal to "Nationalize" Voting & Federal Control

Trump also advocated for Republicans to “nationalize the voting,” a term whose precise meaning remains unclear. However, he has previously indicated this would involve the federal government assuming control over election administration, currently a responsibility largely held by individual state governments. This proposal represents a significant shift in the established framework of US elections.

Repeating Disputed 2020 Election Results & Minnesota Claims

During an appearance on Dan Bonino’s podcast, Trump reiterated his false claim of winning the 2020 presidential election, stating, “We have states that are so crooked. We have states that I won that show I didn't win.” Specifically, he falsely asserted victory in Minnesota in all three of his presidential campaigns, despite losing the state in each election. He characterized Minnesota as a “really rigged state with the Somalians and a theft,” referencing a welfare fraud investigation involving members of the Somali community in Minnesota. This statement links unsubstantiated claims of election fraud to a specific demographic group.

Georgia Ballot Seizure & Legal Challenges

Trump referenced an FBI raid at a Fulton County, Georgia election office, stating, “You're going to see something in Georgia where they were able to get with the court order the ballots. You're going to see some interesting things coming out.” This raid involved the seizure of 2020 ballots. Fulton County Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. announced the county’s intention to sue the Justice Department to challenge the legality of the seizure and demand the return of the ballots.

This action follows the Trump campaign’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia, including forcing a third recount of ballots. Despite the recount confirming Joe Biden’s victory by 12,000 votes, Trump and his campaign pursued multiple unsuccessful legal challenges to invalidate the results.

Connection to Previous Actions & Further Information

These statements and actions build upon a pattern of challenging election integrity and attempting to overturn legitimate election outcomes. Further details on this story can be found in Sarah Dorne’s article on Forbes.com.

Synthesis

Donald Trump continues to promote unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud and advocate for changes to election administration, including federal control. His recent statements demonstrate a persistent refusal to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election and a willingness to link election integrity concerns to specific demographic groups. The ongoing legal battle in Fulton County, Georgia, highlights the continued fallout from the 2020 election and the potential for further legal challenges related to election administration.