FAMILIAR CLAIMS
Earlier on Thursday, Democratic members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence sent a letter to the acting director of national intelligence, Bill Pulte, along with the leaders of the FBI, the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency, warning them not to allow Trump to “weaponise intelligence to support false claims about election security”.
Two of the three major US television networks and CNN decided not to broadcast the prime-time address on their primary platforms, departing from a practice typically reserved for major addresses on issues of national import.
Since returning to office in January 2025, Trump has sought to expand federal power over the administration of elections, which legally resides with state governments under the US Constitution.
In recent months, he has also pressured Senate Republicans to advance a bill, the SAVE America Act, that would require photo ID to vote and proof of US citizenship to register while also mandating that states share voter registration information with the federal government.
Democrats and voting-rights advocates say that voter fraud is exceedingly rare and argue the legislation would suppress legitimate votes.
Some Republican leaders have urged Trump to focus on issues that matter most to Americans, including high living costs, rather than focus on the 2020 vote.
“I don’t know what he’s going to say,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said when asked on Wednesday whether he would advise Trump to avoid talking about the 2020 election.
“The only thing I can tell you is, we are focused on the 2026 election, at least I am, and I think most of my colleagues are.”
Republicans are navigating political headwinds as the midterm elections approach, with Trump’s approval rating underwater and voters deeply frustrated by the Iran war and attendant high energy prices.
Democrats need to flip only three Republican seats to take a majority in the US House of Representatives. They face an uphill battle to win a Senate majority, however, with critical races unfolding in Republican-leaning states.
Democrats are preparing for the White House to attempt to manipulate November’s election, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer told reporters on Wednesday.
“They know they can’t win the election fair and square,” he said. “So we don’t put it past them to try whatever they can.”