Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump made a controversial statement on Friday, telling Christians that if they vote for him in the upcoming election, “in four years, you won’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not going to have to vote.”
The meaning behind Trump’s remarks remains unclear, especially in the context of ongoing concerns from his Democratic opponents about his impact on democracy. This is particularly notable given his previous efforts to overturn his 2020 defeat to President Joe Biden, which led to the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.
Speaking at a Turning Point Action event in West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump encouraged Christians to vote and suggested that his administration would resolve the issues to the extent that future voting would be unnecessary. “Christians, get out and vote, just this time,” Trump said. “You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what, it will be fixed, it will be fine, you won’t have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians.”
Trump also expressed his affection for Christians, declaring, “I love you Christians. I’m a Christian. I love you, get out, you gotta get out and vote.” However, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung did not clarify these remarks but suggested Trump was referring to uniting the country and blamed the “divisive political environment” on a recent assassination attempt against Trump. Investigators have not yet determined the motive behind the shooting.
In December, Trump stated in an interview with Fox News that if he won the November 5 election, he would act as a dictator, albeit only temporarily, to close the southern border and expand oil drilling. Trump later claimed these comments were meant as a joke.
If Trump secures a second term, he would be limited to serving only four additional years due to the two-term limit established by the U.S. Constitution. In May, Trump joked at a National Rifle Association event about the possibility of serving more than two terms, referencing Franklin D. Roosevelt, who served four terms before the term limit was established.
Trump’s recent remarks underscore the need for both political parties to rally their base ahead of what is expected to be a tightly contested election. Historically, Trump has had strong support from evangelicals. Recent opinion polls indicate that his lead over Biden has diminished following Biden’s decision to withdraw from the race and Kamala Harris emerging as the presumptive Democratic nominee.
Harris campaign spokesperson Jason Singer did not directly address Trump’s comments about Christians but described the overall speech as “bizarre” and “backward looking.”
