Trump has declared war on elections in the name of protecting them | Austin Sarat

US politics | The Guardian — 2026-07-17 13:33:00 — www.theguardian.com

Trump Uses White House Address to Push Baseless Claims About Election Integrity

On Thursday night, Donald Trump used a primetime address from the White House’s East Room to once again cast doubt on the integrity of American elections. Unlike previous presidents who have reserved such speeches for moments of national crisis or to announce major policies, Trump’s address focused on rehashing his longstanding grievances about the 2020 presidential election and sowing distrust in the electoral process.

Persistent False Claims

During his speech, Trump claimed that the “election system is so broken and so vulnerable that no one can possibly defend it,” and outlined a series of federal actions to address supposed threats to election security. However, as noted in the excerpt, these threats are “in fact, nonexistent.” The New York Times has reported that “no evidence has ever emerged showing that vote counts have been manipulated or corrupted,” and that Trump’s repeated claims about vulnerabilities in voting machine technology remain unsubstantiated.

Trump’s history of making baseless allegations about rigged contests extends beyond presidential elections. After losing the Iowa caucuses in 2016, he accused Senator Ted Cruz of fraud and demanded a new election or the nullification of Cruz’s results. When he lost the popular vote in the 2016 general election, Trump asserted, without evidence, “I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally.”

Undermining Confidence in Elections

Trump’s relentless campaign to undermine confidence in elections has already had a measurable impact. According to a recent PBS/NPR/Marist poll cited in the excerpt, Americans’ confidence that their elections will be run fairly has dropped to its lowest point in years. The president’s repeated promotion of conspiracy theories and falsehoods about election integrity has contributed to this erosion of trust.

Conclusion

Trump’s use of the White House platform to amplify unfounded claims about election fraud marks a significant departure from the tradition of presidential addresses focused on uniting the nation or addressing genuine emergencies. Instead, his speech served to further undermine faith in American democracy, continuing a pattern of false statements and attacks on the electoral process. As the excerpt concludes, this ongoing campaign to sow doubt is both shameless and dangerous for the future of the country’s democratic institutions.

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Source: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jul/17/trump-speech-election-denialism

Trump cites national security to stop offshore wind development. Here’s what to know

PBS News Hour – Politics — 2026-07-17 12:49:00 — www.pbs.org

Trump Administration’s Campaign Against Offshore Wind: National Security Claims Face Judicial and Expert Skepticism

President Donald Trump’s administration has aggressively moved to halt offshore wind development, repeatedly citing national security risks as the primary justification. Since late last year, the administration has stopped work on major projects and begun buying back leases, with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum pointing to a classified report from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as proof of the alleged threat.

Backdrop of Fossil Fuel Advocacy and Wind Turbine Opposition

These actions come in the context of Trump’s well-documented hostility toward wind turbines and his stated goal of achieving “energy dominance” through fossil fuels. Despite national laboratory estimates showing that offshore wind could generate more than enough electricity to meet the nation’s annual needs, the administration has prioritized fossil fuel expansion.

Fact-Checking the National Security Argument

The Trump administration’s claim that offshore wind poses new national security risks has been met with skepticism from both experts and the courts. While it is true that wind turbines can interfere with radar, this is not a new issue. The Pentagon has long reviewed wind farm plans and can restrict construction in sensitive areas. Technological upgrades to radar systems are available to mitigate these impacts, and thousands of turbines operate successfully in Europe and Asia.

Retired U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Dennis McGinn, who oversaw naval operations in the Pacific, stated there is no “showstopping national security issue” that would invalidate years of analysis supporting offshore wind. He accused the administration of exaggerating risks and costs to justify a pro-fossil fuel agenda, saying, “it doesn’t pass commonsense tests.” Federal judges reviewing the administration’s classified evidence allowed all five halted wind projects to resume, with Senior Judge Royce Lamberth expressing concern that the national security rationale may have been “pretextual,” masking other motives.

Judicial and Legislative Pushback

Courts have repeatedly found the administration’s national security arguments unconvincing. In one case, Judge Lamberth noted that the government failed to apply its newly discovered concerns specifically to the affected project and delayed action until after unrelated public criticism of offshore wind.

Democratic Senator Jack Reed, after a classified briefing, described the administration’s reasoning as unpersuasive and is pushing for legislation requiring thorough and timely analysis of wind project impacts. Reed noted that the administration “finds many ways to stop things it doesn’t like,” expecting continued opposition to wind energy.

Conclusion: Pattern of Exaggeration and Policy Obstruction

President Trump’s administration has consistently cited national security to justify halting offshore wind development, despite longstanding solutions to technical challenges and widespread expert disagreement. Courts and military professionals have questioned the validity and timing of these claims, suggesting they serve as a pretext for advancing fossil fuel interests and obstructing renewable energy. The ongoing legal and political battles highlight the administration’s pattern of exaggerating threats to justify controversial policy decisions.

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Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-cites-national-security-to-stop-offshore-wind-development-heres-what-to-know

Trump Faces the Limits of U.S. Firepower and the Lessons of Past Wars

NYT > U.S. > Politics — 2026-07-17 11:25:00 — www.nytimes.com

Trump Threatens Expanded Strikes on Iran, Doubles Down on Military Pressure

President Trump has maintained a steadfast belief throughout the nearly five-month war with Iran: that overwhelming U.S. military force will eventually compel Iran’s leaders to meet his demands. In a recent Fox News interview, Trump declared, “We’re going to knock out all their power plants. We’re going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate.” When asked if he believed Iran was serious about making a deal, Trump replied, “I think they have no choice.”

Trump’s Strategy: Escalation and Civilian Targets

Trump’s approach echoes a discredited military doctrine from the early 2000s, which claimed that intense, precision attacks could quickly paralyze an enemy. Despite the lessons of prolonged conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan—where excessive force often produced more enemies—Trump has signaled a willingness to escalate further. He suggested that few Iranian military targets remain and vowed to expand the campaign to civilian infrastructure, including bridges and electrical grids, that support Iran’s military efforts.

Fact-Checking Trump’s Claims and Promises

Trump’s assertion that Iran “has no choice” but to negotiate under military pressure is contradicted by recent events. Despite thousands of U.S. and Israeli strikes that devastated Iran’s military leadership and infrastructure, Iran has managed to restore much of its ability to project power, according to senior U.S. officials. The renewed campaign has repeatedly targeted sites already struck earlier in the conflict, with limited impact on Iran’s capacity to threaten commercial shipping or close the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump’s vow to target civilian infrastructure raises serious legal and ethical concerns within the Pentagon, with some questioning whether such actions could constitute war crimes. The effectiveness of this strategy is also in doubt, as history shows that decapitating an enemy’s leadership does not necessarily lead to surrender or meaningful concessions.

Trump’s Rhetoric: Disparagements and Shifting Blame

In his interview, Trump disparaged successive groups of Iranian leaders, labeling them “evil” and blaming the latest group for stalling negotiations. This pattern of personal attacks and shifting blame has been a hallmark of Trump’s public statements throughout the conflict.

Conclusion: Escalation Without Resolution

Trump’s reliance on overwhelming force and threats against civilian infrastructure has so far failed to achieve his stated goals. The administration’s approach has left the U.S. negotiating with a fractured and embittered adversary, with little progress toward a lasting resolution. As the conflict drags on, Trump’s promises of quick victory and Iranian capitulation remain unfulfilled, raising questions about the wisdom and legality of his chosen strategy.

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Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/17/us/politics/trump-iran-war-afghanistan-iraq.html

Trump rails against election systems — and familiar enemies

Donald Trump — 2026-07-16 20:49:00 — www.politico.com

Trump’s Claims About 2020 Election Remain Unsupported by Evidence

Donald Trump has repeatedly asserted that the 2020 election was stolen and that ballots and vote totals were manipulated. However, none of the information Trump described appears to support his long-running claims.

Unsupported Allegations

Despite Trump’s persistent statements alleging widespread fraud and manipulation in the 2020 election, fact-checks show that the evidence he has presented does not substantiate these accusations. The information he referenced fails to demonstrate that ballots were improperly counted or that vote totals were altered in a way that would have changed the outcome of the election.

Fact-Checking Trump’s Record

Trump’s narrative about a “stolen” election has been a central theme of his public remarks since November 2020. Yet, multiple investigations, audits, and court rulings have consistently found no credible evidence to back up his claims. The excerpt makes clear that the materials Trump cited do not support his allegations, further undermining the foundation of his argument.

Conclusion

Trump’s continued insistence on election fraud is not supported by the facts he has provided. None of the information described in his statements substantiates his claims that the 2020 election was stolen or that ballots and vote totals were manipulated. This ongoing pattern highlights the disconnect between Trump’s rhetoric and the available evidence, reinforcing the importance of fact-checking and accountability in public discourse.

Source article

Source: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/16/trump-declassifies-election-documents-investigations-01002581

Up First briefing: Trump’s speech; Texas flooding; Wildfire smoke : NPR

NPR Topics: Politics — 2026-07-17 06:27:00 — www.npr.org

President Trump Repeats Baseless Claims of Election Fraud in Primetime Address

President Trump delivered a primetime address last night, once again asserting that the country’s voting systems are vulnerable to being “rigged and stolen.” Despite the gravity of these claims, the president presented no new evidence of a single fraudulent vote in any election. He also announced that he was declassifying intelligence documents, which he said reveal “shocking vulnerabilities in our election infrastructure.”

Fact-Checking the Claims

A team at NPR spent much of the night reviewing the documents Trump referenced. According to their reporting, it remains unclear whether any new information has emerged that could affect the security of America’s voting systems. The documents largely highlight existing concerns about voting equipment, such as outdated technology in certain areas. Importantly, nearly all U.S. voters use paper ballots, which have been subject to audits and investigations by both Republican and Democratic officials after the 2020 election. No evidence of widespread fraud was found in these reviews.

Legal and Legislative Efforts

Courts have blocked the president’s executive actions aimed at changing election administration. Trump has also pressed Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to vote. However, the bill lacks enough support in the Senate. Many Republicans are urging a focus on issues that voters prioritize, such as the cost of living, rather than unsubstantiated claims about election security. Notably, Trump devoted little time in his speech to topics like affordability or the ongoing war in Iran.

Conclusion

President Trump’s continued repetition of unfounded claims about election fraud stands in contrast to the available evidence and the findings of bipartisan audits and investigations. As legal and legislative avenues to change election administration stall, the president’s focus on these allegations persists, despite a lack of substantiating proof. This ongoing narrative risks undermining public confidence in the electoral process without factual basis.

Source article

Source: https://www.npr.org/2026/07/17/g-s1-134162/up-first-newsletter-trump-speech-illegal-voting-texas-flooding-wildfires-air-quality

Election integrity documents are available for review here:

Trump's Truth – Latest Posts — 2026-07-17 08:36:00 — trumpstruth.org

In a recent Truth Social post, President Donald Trump declared, “Tariffs have made our Country Rich, Strong, Powerful, and Safe.” (presidency.ucsb.edu)

Claim: Tariffs Have Strengthened the U.S. Economy

President Trump asserts that his tariff policies have bolstered the nation’s wealth, strength, power, and safety.

Fact-Check: Evaluating the Impact of Tariffs

Economic analyses indicate that tariffs often lead to increased costs for consumers and can provoke retaliatory measures from trading partners. For instance, a study by the Federal Reserve found that the 2018 tariffs resulted in higher prices for imported goods and had a negative impact on U.S. manufacturing employment.

Conclusion: Tariffs’ Economic Impact Is Complex

While President Trump credits tariffs with enhancing the nation’s economic standing, empirical evidence suggests that such policies can have mixed effects, including potential harm to consumers and certain industries.

Source article

Source: https://trumpstruth.org/statuses/40093

Democrats call 'bull—-' on Trump's election interference claims  

Administration News — 2026-07-16 21:58:00 — thehill.com

Donald Trump Revives False Claims of Widespread Voter Fraud, Prompting Democratic Outcry

President Trump has once again revived his unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election, according to a Thursday evening address. This renewed assertion has drawn immediate alarm from Democratic lawmakers, who have consistently challenged the veracity of Trump’s statements regarding the integrity of the election.

False Claims Resurface

Trump’s repeated insistence on widespread voter fraud has been widely discredited, yet he continues to promote this narrative. During his address, Trump reiterated these claims without providing evidence, maintaining a position that has been fact-checked and found to lack substantiation by multiple independent sources.

Democratic Response

The reaction from Democrats was swift and pointed. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), the top Democrat on the House Rules Committee, responded to Trump’s remarks by stating, “You have to be a special kind of stupid to believe this bull—-.” This sharp rebuke underscores the frustration among lawmakers who view Trump’s statements as a persistent threat to public trust in the electoral process.

Fact-Checking Trump’s Record

Trump’s claims of widespread voter fraud have been repeatedly debunked. Courts, state officials, and bipartisan election experts have found no evidence to support the scale of fraud alleged by Trump. Despite these findings, Trump’s continued promotion of these falsehoods has fueled ongoing debate and division over the legitimacy of the 2020 election.

Conclusion

President Trump’s decision to revive false claims of voter fraud has reignited concerns about misinformation and its impact on American democracy. As Democrats and other critics push back against these assertions, the episode highlights the ongoing challenges posed by the spread of unsubstantiated narratives from the nation’s highest office. Readers are left to consider the consequences of repeated false claims on the country’s political discourse and public confidence in elections.

Source article

Source: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5973430-democrats-alarm-trump-election-fraud-claims/

White House teleprompter operator placed on leave after betting on Trump speeches

Politics — 2026-07-16 15:25:00 — www.washingtonpost.com

President Trump Places White House Teleprompter Operator on Leave Amid Betting Scandal

President Donald Trump has placed a White House teleprompter operator on unpaid leave after it was discovered the staffer was placing online bets related to the president’s public remarks. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Thursday that the president took direct action to suspend the staffer and stated that the individual is cooperating with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Direct Presidential Response

According to Leavitt, President Trump personally made the decision to put the staffer on leave following revelations about the betting activity. The administration’s response highlights the seriousness with which the president is treating the matter, ensuring compliance with federal regulations and ongoing investigations.

Compliance with Federal Oversight

Leavitt emphasized that the staffer is complying with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the federal agency responsible for regulating derivatives markets, including futures and options. This compliance suggests that the White House is cooperating with authorities to address any potential legal or ethical violations.

No Public False Claims or Disparagements

In this instance, the excerpt does not include any direct false claims or disparagements made by President Trump. Instead, it focuses on the president’s response to the staffer’s actions and the steps taken to address the situation.

Conclusion

President Trump’s decision to place a teleprompter operator on unpaid leave over online betting related to his public remarks demonstrates a swift response to potential ethical violations within the White House. The administration’s cooperation with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in government operations. Readers should note that, in this case, the president’s actions were focused on upholding ethical standards rather than making public statements or claims.

Source article

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/07/16/white-house-teleprompter-operator-placed-leave-after-betting-trump-speeches/

What to expect from Trump’s address as he revisits 2020 election loss

PBS News Hour – Politics — 2026-07-16 17:55:00 — www.pbs.org

Trump to Make New Claims on 2020 Election, Despite Repeated Refutations by Courts and His Own Officials

President Trump is expected to make what he calls “really, really big news” about foreign interference in the 2020 presidential election, continuing his long-running effort to challenge the outcome of the race he lost. On Tuesday, Trump said, “It doesn’t get bigger, because without free and fair elections, you don’t have a country.” According to sources, he is likely to claim that China interfered in the 2020 election, pointing to thousands of pages of intelligence documents as supposed evidence.

Fact-Checking Trump’s Claims

Trump’s repeated assertions about widespread fraud and foreign interference in the 2020 election have been thoroughly rejected by courts, election officials, and independent assessments. In January 2021, a report from his own Director of National Intelligence stated, “There are no indications that any foreign actor attempted to alter any technical aspect of the voting process in the 2020 U.S. elections, including voter registration, casting ballots, vote tabulation, or reporting results.” The same assessment found that “China did not deploy interference efforts and considered, but did not deploy influence efforts intended to change the outcome of the U.S. presidential election.”

Trump’s own Attorney General, Bill Barr, told the January 6 Committee, “I saw absolutely zero basis for the allegations, but they were made in such a sensational way that they obviously were influencing a lot of people, members of the public, that there was this systemic corruption in the system and that their votes didn’t count, and that these machines controlled by somebody else were actually determining it, which was complete nonsense.”

Concerns from Election Officials

Election officials across the country have expressed concern that Trump’s continued falsehoods may undermine public confidence in upcoming elections. One Republican official in a swing state said the party should focus on issues like affordability, not voting machines from the 2020 election. Arizona’s secretary of state noted that the administration keeps losing court challenges over election administration and called the expected speech “another futile attempt to influence an area that the president and the executive branch has no influence over.”

Conclusion

Despite overwhelming evidence and repeated statements from his own administration refuting claims of widespread fraud or foreign interference in the 2020 election, President Trump continues to promote these falsehoods. As he prepares to make new claims in a prime-time address, election officials and fact-checkers remain vigilant, warning that such rhetoric threatens the integrity and public trust in the American electoral system.

Source article

Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/what-to-expect-from-trumps-address-as-he-revisits-2020-election-loss

Trump again makes unverifiable claims of noncitizen voting

NYT > U.S. > Politics — 2026-07-17 00:02:00 — www.nytimes.com

Trump Claims Hundreds of Thousands of Noncitizens Registered to Vote—States and Data Say Otherwise

President Trump and the Department of Homeland Security claimed on Thursday that they had uncovered a significant number of noncitizens registered to vote in four states, but offered no evidence to support their findings nor any description of their investigative process. Trump escalated his longstanding claims about noncitizen voting, stating that the Department of Homeland Security had found “approximately 278,000 noncitizens who are registered to vote in federal elections.” According to Trump, this figure was based on a document released by the White House from the Department of Homeland Security, which alleged that more than 250,000 noncitizens were registered in California, New Jersey, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.

Lack of Evidence and Immediate Pushback

The document provided by the administration did not explain how it arrived at such a large number and acknowledged that the four states in question do not use the SAVE system, a federal resource for verifying citizenship status. Without access to this system, it is unclear how the Department of Homeland Security could have produced its count using only public voter files.

Election officials in at least one state, Nevada, immediately rebuffed Trump’s claims. Data from the Nevada secretary of state’s office showed that out of 2.1 million active voters, only 138 did not provide a state driver’s license or Social Security number when registering. Nevada officials stated that there is no evidence of widespread noncitizen registration on its voter rolls, and those 138 voters may have registered with other valid forms of identification, such as tribal IDs. Cisco Aguilar, Nevada’s Democratic secretary of state, said he had received no notifications from DHS about any such threat.

Pattern of Inflated Claims and Fact-Checking

Trump’s evidence-free claims that noncitizens have voted in elections have been central to his political messaging and his push for the SAVE America Act, a federal voting bill that Democrats argue is designed to benefit Republicans. In the past, Republican state officials have released inflated numbers of alleged noncitizen voters, only to revise those numbers sharply downward after further review.

For example, Iowa initially estimated more than 2,100 potential noncitizens on its voter rolls, but after proper investigation, that number dropped to 277. Of those, only 35 noncitizens cast ballots that were counted in the 2024 general election out of more than 1.6 million ballots. The Center for Election Innovation and Research, a nonpartisan group, has noted that claims of large numbers of noncitizens on voter rolls are “revised significantly downward after proper investigation and scrutiny.”

Methodology in Question

The most recent analysis by DHS appears to rely on publicly available state voter records that are scrubbed of key identifying information for privacy reasons, such as driver’s license numbers. This method is widely recognized as unreliable and prone to inflating numbers. The administration itself has argued in court filings that access to unredacted voter records is necessary to avoid misidentifying duplicate names, a request that states have resisted to protect voter privacy and comply with state laws.

Conclusion

President Trump’s latest claims of widespread noncitizen voter registration lack substantiation and have been directly contradicted by state officials and available data. The pattern of making broad, unverified allegations about election integrity continues to draw criticism from both Democratic and Republican election officials, who emphasize that noncitizen voting remains extremely rare. As states and independent organizations continue to scrutinize these claims, the evidence consistently fails to support the president’s narrative.

Source article

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/us/politics/trump-again-makes-unfounded-claims-of-noncitizen-voting.html