Trump calls out Democrats over shutdown, compares voter ID fight to ‘transgender for everybody’

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump put Democrats on blast for causing a partial government shutdown and opposing measures to require voter ID and proof of citizenship in elections. 

The shutdown began on February 13 after Senate Democrats declined to approve funding for the Department of Homeland Security. While Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection operations continue mostly unaffected, agencies such as the Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration are experiencing disruptions.

Last week, the House of Representatives passed the SAVE Act, which aims to mandate voter ID and citizenship verification. It was forwarded to the Senate before Trump can sign it into law.

However, the bill faces challenges in the Senate. Not all Republican senators support it, and Democrats are in full opposition. Passing it may require invoking a standing filibuster to achieve a 51-vote majority instead of the usual three-fifths threshold.

Trump has indicated he intends to issue an executive order requiring voter ID.

Trump blasts Democrats on voter ID fight

Trump was speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One when he confirmed he plans to deliver his 'State of the Union' address next week despite the ongoing shutdown. When asked by a reporter, "Will you give your State of the Union speech if we’re still in a shutdown next week?" Trump replied, "Well, I think I would. Wouldn’t bother me. I would give it, yeah."

"This has nothing to do with Republicans. This is a Democrat shutdown," the president said regarding the status of negotiations to resolve the shutdown.

Trump attributed the Democrats' actions to dissatisfaction with falling crime rates and resistance to voter ID initiatives. He said, "They’re upset that the crime numbers are so good, they’re very unhappy that the crime numbers are so good, they’re very unhappy that there’s a movement for getting voter ID. They want voter ID. The population, 98% want voter ID. They don’t want voter ID because they want to cheat in elections." 

He further criticized their support for mail-in ballots and opposition to proof of citizenship. "They also want other things. They don’t want mail-in ballots. They want to end mail-in ballots, which is corrupt," Trump explained.

"And one other thing that they’re insisting on is proof of citizenship. And the Democrats don’t want to give proof of citizenship, they don’t want to give voter ID. Think of it. Who wouldn’t want proof of citizenship? I ask you, Steve, who wouldn’t want voter ID? And why would you want mail-in ballots if you know it’s corrupt? It’s a corrupt system."

He added, "We’re the only country in the world that has this system of mail-in ballots. Think of it, the only country in the world that has this system of mail-in ballots because they cheat. And the fact is, they could never get elected if they ever changed, and they know it. If you had voter ID, if you had proof of citizenship, they could never win an election. And they know that, and they’re fighting to the hill."

Trump links voter ID fight to borders, sports

Trump equated the Democrats' position on voter ID with other policies he views as extreme, including open borders and transgender issues.

He remarked, "And I put this down with men playing in women’s sports, I put it down with transgender for everybody. I put it down with their horrible open border policy as being ridiculous. They don’t want voter ID, no voter ID, and I put that down in the same category with men playing in women’s sports. I’m going to add a fourth category: They don’t want voter ID."

The comments come amid reports of election irregularities in California involving ballot harvesting, ballot curing, the lack of voter ID requirements, and mass mail-in ballots. A recent video by YouTuber Nick Shirley documented alleged fraudulent voter registrations and discussions with election officials regarding the same.