Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP / Getty Images
Pro-Trump activists are urging President Donald Trump to declare a national emergency over U.S. elections, arguing — without new public evidence — that China interfered in the 2020 race.
According to The Washington Post, which reviewed a 17-page draft executive order circulating among Trump allies, the proposal would use claims of foreign election interference to justify sweeping federal changes to how Americans vote.
The draft reportedly calls for new restrictions on mail-in voting, tighter voter registration requirements, and expanded federal oversight of election systems. Supporters of the effort argue the president could invoke emergency powers under existing national security laws.
But U.S. intelligence agencies have previously found no evidence that China altered the outcome of the 2020 election. A 2021 intelligence assessment concluded that while China considered influence efforts, it did not carry them out, The Washington Post reported.
The push comes as Trump has repeatedly signaled he wants greater federal control over election procedures, including requiring proof of citizenship to register and voter ID nationwide. The White House told the Post it routinely hears policy ideas from outside advocates but declined to confirm any specific plans.
Legal scholars and voting rights advocates note that the Constitution gives primary authority over elections to states and Congress — not the president. Courts have already blocked key parts of a March executive order signed by Trump aimed at reshaping election procedures. Multiple federal judges ruled portions of that order exceeded presidential authority, according to reporting from the Associated Press and Politico.
Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told The Washington Post there is “no national emergency,” warning that using emergency powers to alter election rules would undermine public confidence in democracy.
Polling suggests Americans are skeptical of a federal takeover of election administration. A Washington Post–ABC News–Ipsos survey found a majority of adults oppose the federal government assuming control of vote-counting in certain states.
At stake is more than policy — it’s who controls the mechanics of American democracy.
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.