‘Totally bogus’: Democrats erupt as Trump revives 2020 election fraud claims in White House address

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump's primetime White House address on Thursday, July 15, on election security prompted an immediate backlash from Democratic lawmakers, governors and party leaders, who rejected his renewed claims about the 2020 election and accused him of attempting to undermine confidence in future elections. 

The response came after the Republican leader used a nationally televised address to allege foreign interference in US elections, argue that election security vulnerabilities had been concealed, and call on Congress to pass the SAVE America Act. 

Democrats reject Trump's election interference claims as 'totally bogus' and 'unhinged'

Democratic leaders swiftly dismissed Trump's allegations, arguing that multiple investigations had already examined the 2020 election and found no evidence that foreign interference altered vote totals.

Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, called the commander-in-chief's assertions "totally bogus." 

"The fact is our intelligence agencies unanimously agreed that China did not even try to change a single vote in the 2020 election," Warner wrote. "A single concurring opinion suggested China may have tried to sway voters' opinions … but that's been public knowledge since 2021."

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) described Trump as "a feeble, unhinged conspiracy-peddling 80-year old failed President." Representative Seth Moulton (D-Mass) described the address as "an attack on the foundation of our democracy."

A joint statement issued by all 24 Democratic governors also rejected Trump's allegations. "No amount of lies and conspiracy theories can change the fact that our country's elections have repeatedly been proven to be safe and secure," the governors said. "These attacks are intended to intimidate and silence voters."

Former Vice President Kamala Harris argued that Trump was attempting to discourage voter participation ahead of midterms.  

 "The president is scared of your power, and he wants you to believe your vote does not matter. He wants you to lose confidence in our electoral system so you stay home this November. He knows how discontent the American people are, and he wants to make sure that you do not vote," she wrote. "Because if the people vote in their numbers, Republicans will lose."

SAVE Act draws renewed political divide as GOP defends Trump's message

Trump's renewed appeal for Congress to pass the SAVE America Act also became a focal point of the political response.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) made clear the legislation would not advance under Democratic leadership. "Not now. Not ever. The SAVE Act is dead on arrival in the United States Senate," he wrote. 

Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) questioned Trump's timing, writing, "If Trump wins, it's a fair election. If he loses, there was fraud. Does he realize the election he's talking about happened under his watch as President? The only reason Trump is bringing this up now is to distract from the fact he's failed to make Americans' lives better."

Republicans, however, defended the president's address and his election security agenda. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) called Trump's disclosures "truly shocking" and argued that Congress should immediately pass the SAVE America Act, writing that it had "NEVER been more crucial to secure our elections against fraud and foreign interference."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also backed Trump's message, writing, "Without trust, there can be no greatness. Under POTUS, the Trump Administration will rout out foreign interference in our elections and safeguard our democracy."