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Trump Says U.S. 'Shouldn’t Even Have an Election,' White House Says He Was Joking

Democrats are mobilizing legal teams to guard the midterms following court setbacks for his voting order.

U.S. President Donald Trump is interviewed by Reuters White House correspondent Steve Holland during an exclusive interview in the Oval Office in the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 14, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
U.S. President Donald Trump is interviewed by Reuters White House correspondent Steve Holland during an exclusive interview in the Oval Office in the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 14, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
U.S. President Donald Trump is interviewed by Reuters White House correspondent Steve Holland during an exclusive interview in the Oval Office in the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 14, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
U.S. President Donald Trump is interviewed by Reuters White House correspondent Steve Holland during an exclusive interview in the Oval Office in the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 14, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

Overview

  • Speaking to Reuters, President Trump lamented expected midterm losses and said his accomplishments were so extensive that “we shouldn’t even have an election,” while also dismissing a Reuters/Ipsos Greenland poll as “fake.”
  • Trump defended ongoing deployments of armed federal agents in U.S. cities after the fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis and claimed the effort removed “thousands of murderers,” a statement Reuters noted lacks evidence.
  • White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president was speaking facetiously during the closed-door interview and rebuked reporters who questioned the remarks.
  • Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats have teams of senators and lawyers preparing to protect the vote count, and DNC chair Ken Martin warned that federal deployments in Democratic-led cities could suppress turnout.
  • Multiple federal courts have struck down parts of Trump’s March executive order on proof of citizenship for federal voter registration and limits on mail-ballot counting, including a recent ruling in Oregon, even as the White House calls interference claims fear-mongering.