WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) – US President Donald Trump says he does not want to declare a national emergency and thus influence the midterm elections in his favor. He answered no to a question about whether he was considering such a measure. It initially remained unclear how a declaration of emergency would affect the elections.
The Washington Post previously reported that Trump supporters had encouraged the president to declare a state of emergency. This would allow him to secure extensive powers and influence the midterm elections taking place in the fall. According to the report, Trump’s supporters point to the accusation that China interfered in the 2020 US presidential election as the basis for the proposed approach.
According to the constitution, parliament and the states are responsible for the preparation and implementation of elections and decide on them sovereignly. The president has no powers. If it turns out that foreign interests are influencing the US elections, the president could intervene, according to the Washington Post report.
Midterms are coming soon
On November 3rd, the midterms will decide the House of Representatives and about a third of the seats in the Senate. Trump’s Republicans hope to defend their slim majorities in both chambers of parliament.
Trump’s party is already trying to push for stricter rules for federal elections. A bill introduced by the Republicans (Save America Act) stipulates, among other things, that citizens must prove their US citizenship when registering to vote. Photo ID must also be presented for federal elections.
Unlike in Germany, there are no uniform rules in the USA as to how voters are identified when casting their votes on site. The states largely decide independently and count the votes themselves. The rules have so far been less strict, especially in states where the majority are democratic./ngu/DP/he