Commentary
By rehashing claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, US President Donald Trump is setting the stage to delegitimise the vote ahead of the Congressional midterm elections, says this academic.
President Trump speaking during an address to the nation. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
18 Jul 2026 05:59AM
ADELAIDE: US President Donald Trump has used a rare nationwide prime-time address to again claim the 2020 presidential election was stolen, US voting machines cannot be trusted, and a “deep state” conspiracy has covered it all up.However, the declassified documents the White House released alongside the speech do not support those claims.As such, Trump’s speech may matter less for what it says about the 2020 election than what it portends for November’s Congressional midterm elections, which could result in huge losses for his Republican Party.Critics say Trump is clearly setting the stage to delegitimise the vote, so he can contest the result if it doesn’t go his way.
