Trump says federal government should get involved in elections

President Trump said the federal government should get involved in elections run by states he said cannot administer them “honestly.”

Trump made the comments Tuesday during a signing ceremony in the Oval Office for legislation ending a four-day government shutdown, responding to a question about earlier remarks suggesting elections should be “nationalized.”

“I want to see elections be honest,” Trump said. “If a state can’t run an election, I think the people behind me should do something about it, because if you think about it, a state is an agent for the federal government in elections.”

Trump questioned why elections are not run directly by the federal government and accused several states and cities of conducting “crooked elections.”

“When you see some of these states, how horribly they run their elections, what a disgrace it is,” Trump added. “The federal government should not allow that.”

Trump specifically pointed to Detroit, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania broadly, and Atlanta, alleging “horrible corruption” in those areas.

“If they can’t count the votes legally and honestly, then somebody else should take them,” Trump said. “They can administer the election, but they have to do it honestly.”

Under the Constitution, states administer elections, while the federal government sets certain standards through Congress and enforces voting rights laws.