He’s just being silly.
President Donald Trump is joking when he says US elections should be canceled, the White House claims.
The president first floated the idea to a group of Republican lawmakers earlier this month when discussing Democrats and the 2026 midterms at the Trump-Kennedy Center.
‘How we have to even run against these people—I won’t say cancel the election, they should cancel the election, because the fake news would say, “He wants the elections canceled. He’s a dictator.” They always call me a dictator,’ Trump told the room of lawmakers.
But then the president invoked the line again while speaking with Reuters on Wednesday.
‘When you think of it, we shouldn’t even have an election,’ the president replied when talking about the midterms with the outlet.
When pressed by the Daily Mail on why the president is repeatedly saying US elections should be terminated, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said it’s evidence of Trump’s humor.
‘The president was simply joking,’ she responded, noting how the print interview was not accompanied by video or audio that could convey the executive’s tone.
President Donald Trump has spoked about cancelling US elections when talking about the ipcoming midterms, which he believes may be won largely by Democrats
‘The president was simply joking,’ Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told the Daily Mail when asked about the president’s comments
Midterm elections, the congressional elections halfway through a president’s term, are typically won by the party that does not hold the presidency, in this case, the Democrats
‘He was saying, “We’re doing such a great job, we’re doing everything the American people thought, maybe we should just keep rolling.” But he was speaking facetiously.’
When another reporter sought clarification from Leavitt, the exchange turned testy.
‘You said that he was joking about canceling the elections, but Americans, for generations, have fought and died for democracy, for this democracy,’ the reporter said. ‘Are you saying the President finds the idea of canceling elections funny?’
Leavitt quickly dismissed the follow-up in a stern voice.
‘Were you in the room? No, you weren’t. I was in the room. I heard the conversation, and only someone like you would take that so seriously.’
Both times the president spoke about cancelling the elections he referenced how the midterms typically get won by the party that does not hold the presidency, which in this case is the Democrats.
From 1934 – 2018, the president’s party has averaged a loss of 28 House seats and four Senate seats, according to the American Presidency Project.
During the 2018 midterms, halfway through Trump’s first stint as president, the House lost 40 GOP seats while the Senate gained two Republican senators.
‘It’s some deep psychological thing, but when you win the presidency, you don’t win the midterms,’ Trump told Reuters on Wednesday.
