Trump labels US elections 'rigged,' proposes 'Save America Act'

U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated his rhetoric on election integrity, calling American elections "rigged" and a "laughingstock all over the world" while proposing stringent new voting restrictions. In a social media post on Sunday, Trump outlined a "Save America Act" that would mandate universal voter identification, require proof of citizenship for registration, and largely eliminate mail-in ballots.

Details of the Proposed Legislation

The proposed act, which Trump urged all Republicans to support, would restrict absentee voting to cases of illness, disability, military service, or travel. "We are either going to fix them, or we won't have a country any longer," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. This follows his recent call for Republicans to "nationalize" and "take over" voting processes in numerous unspecified locations, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opponents.

Democratic Opposition and Accusations

Democratic leaders have forcefully rejected the president's proposals. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused Trump of attempting to "steal" elections through nationalization efforts. "What Donald Trump wants to do is try to nationalize the election. Translation: Steal it. And we're not going to let it happen," Jeffries stated in a CNN interview. He added that Democrats have already blocked related Republican efforts, including gerrymandering attempts and a push to federalize the National Guard.

Broader Context of Election Security Debates

The controversy underscores the deep and ongoing partisan divide over election administration and security in the United States. Trump's proposals are likely to fuel further legislative battles in Congress and at the state level, where voting laws have become a central political issue ahead of future election cycles. The debate centers on balancing access to voting with measures to prevent fraud, a topic of intense dispute between the two major parties.