Trump’s primetime speech about election fraud caused a lot of anger and criticism from Democratic lawmakers on Thursday night. They said he was trying to set up a way to question the results of the 2026 midterm elections.
Speaking from the White House, Trump said the election system is still at risk from foreign interference and again asked Congress to pass the SAVE America Act.
This law would require voters to prove they are citizens, need a photo ID to vote, and limit mail-in voting.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called Trump out for trying to “set up a plan to cheat in the 2026 elections and hurt democracy.” He also said Trump still refuses to accept his loss to former President Joe Biden in 2020.
Schumer said, “The American people were sick of Trump before and they’re even more upset now because he’s making things expensive, causing problems in the streets, and getting rich through corruption.” He added that the SAVE America Act “isn’t going anywhere.
Period.”
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries called Trump “a weak, crazy person who spreads false stories and was a failed president.”
Rep.
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said Trump is a “loser.”
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) criticized Trump for focusing on “old lies” instead of working on the economy.
Other Democrats joined in with strong criticism.
Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) called for Trump to be impeached.
California Governor Gavin Newsom was very harsh, calling Trump’s speech “the ramblings of a mad king” and even suggesting it was a “legitimate 25th Amendment moment.”
He wasn’t alone, with Rep.
Yass Ansari (D–AZ) agreeing.
California state senator Scott Weiner said, “25th Amendment or prison.”
The SAVE America Act has become a major focus for House Republicans.
Earlier Thursday, House Speaker Mike Johnson called it the GOP’s “top legislative priority,” though he didn’t comment on Trump’s speech.
Several MAGA Republicans quickly backed Trump’s message.
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) said, “American elections should be as secure as Olive Garden’s endless pasta,” and urged Congress to “crush foreign election interference” and pass the law.
Rep.
Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) called for Chinese student visas to be canceled.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe backed Trump, saying he had “long highlighted China’s harmful efforts to influence the 2020 election against Trump, as shown by my dissent to the flawed January 2021 Intelligence Community Assessment.”
Ratcliffe added that newly released documents show “China’s intentions” and “should be made public to protect our democracy’s safety and public trust in elections.”
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