In 2026 thus far, President Donald Trump has proposed canceling the upcoming midterm elections not just once, but twice.

His most recent mention of the idea occurred in an interview with Reuters, during which he talked about concerns that Republicans might lose seats in the midterms. He is quoted as arguing “we shouldn’t even have an election” because of what the Trump Administration has achieved.

When questioned about the comments on Thursday evening, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the remarks, telling reporters the President was “merely joking.” Stating she was at the interview earlier in the week, Leavitt added: “He was saying ‘we’re doing such a great job… maybe we should just keep going.’ But he was speaking in a joking manner.”

Another reporter challenged this response, citing the significance of Democracy and asking if the President thinks the idea of canceling elections is “funny.” Leavitt scolded the press member for taking the matter so “seriously.”

Trump’s initial allusion to canceling the elections came during his Jan. 6 speech to House Republicans as they gathered at the Kennedy Center to discuss their agenda for the coming year. Criticizing Democrats, Trump said “they have the worst policy” and wondered “how we even have to run against these people.”

“I won’t say cancel the election, they should cancel the election, because the fake news would say, ‘He wants the elections canceled. He’s a dictator.’ They always call me a dictator,” he claimed, adding that if Republicans don’t win the midterms, the opposition will “find a reason to impeach” him.

Federal law allows no room for a President to postpone or cancel congressional elections, but Trump has previously advocated for such actions. In July 2020, he suggested that the Presidential election later that year should be postponed.

“With universal mail-in voting, 2020 will be the most inaccurate and fraudulent election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the election until people can vote properly, securely, and safely,” making claims about mail-in voter fraud.

When Trump went on to lose the 2020 race to President Joe Biden, he refused to recognize his loss and has continued to make false claims about the election’s integrity. He even fired top cybersecurity official Chris Krebs after the analyst said the 2020 election was “the most secure in American history.” Amid the talk about supposedly stolen elections, on Jan. 6, 2021, rioters tried to block lawmakers from certifying Biden’s election victory.

Trump most recently referred to the results as “rigged” during his address to House Republicans at the Kennedy Center.