President Donald Trump has deluded himself into a complete disconnect from reality at this point. His rhetoric has consistently fewer and fewer connections to reality, but he does not seem to care. This Wednesday morning, Trump rushed to Twitter to indicate that he would consider holding up federal funds for the state of Nevada in retaliation for their apparent vote-by-mail plans for coming elections. Trump has baselessly alleged that voting by mail opens the door for some kind of fraud, but there is no evidence for this claim. It’s as unhinged as the president’s previous claim that millions of illegal votes were cast in 2016.
Trump tweeted:
‘State of Nevada “thinks” that they can send out illegal vote by mail ballots, creating a great Voter Fraud scenario for the State and the U.S. They can’t! If they do, “I think” I can hold up funds to the State. Sorry, but you must not cheat in elections. @RussVought45 @USTreasury’
State of Nevada “thinks” that they can send out illegal vote by mail ballots, creating a great Voter Fraud scenario for the State and the U.S. They can’t! If they do, “I think” I can hold up funds to the State. Sorry, but you must not cheat in elections. @RussVought45 @USTreasury
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 20, 2020
It’s just laughably ridiculous that the president is so ridiculously petty that he’s tagging the U.S. Treasury on Twitter in an attempt to threateningly shame the state of Nevada into doing what he wants. Trump is the president of the United States, but he’s acting like some kind of snake oil salesman.
This Wednesday, Trump also singled out the state of Michigan for criticism.
We have sent our best Military & @FEMA Teams, already there. Governor must now “set you free” to help. Will be with you soon! https://t.co/cuG1YacPdx
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 20, 2020
After claiming earlier in the morning that they too were engaging in some kind of voter fraud scheme via daring to send people applications for absentee ballots, he claimed that Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) must “set you free” to be able to help with responding to dangerous local flooding. He appears to be referencing the stay-at-home demands that have been in place in the state in an attempt to stem the spread of the Coronavirus, which has killed tens of thousands of Americans. Those orders are not some kind of de facto home confinement. Trump’s claims otherwise, like his other Twitter posts from this Wednesday, constitute delusional paranoia.
Hi! 👋🏼 I also have a name, it’s Jocelyn Benson. And we sent applications, not ballots. Just like my GOP colleagues in Iowa, Georgia, Nebraska and West Virginia. https://t.co/kBsu4nHvOy
— Jocelyn Benson (@JocelynBenson) May 20, 2020
Check out Twitter’s response below:
This tweet is also not true: Nevada already allows any voter to vote absentee by mail.
The state has switched to all mail in voting, but only for the upcoming primary because of coronavirus.
Trump also has no clear authority to hold up federal funding for this reason. https://t.co/GlhcmlJtc8
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) May 20, 2020
This man is a clear and present danger to the republic. https://t.co/zS7ZHvBDNJ
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) May 20, 2020
Old enough to remember when Republican Secretaries of State association was up in arms about federal control over/interference in state/local-run elections https://t.co/QUgzsRFr60 https://t.co/o8R3yp5z9J
— Josh "Cordon Sanitaire" Gerstein (@joshgerstein) May 20, 2020
Um, Nevada's Secretary of State is a Republican. And, we are suing over her decision to close in person voting locations. The @GOP is fighting us.
Perhaps you can let them know you support our lawsuit to ensure safe in-person voting?https://t.co/nH1JKgWLm0 https://t.co/jUAP7HGnnM
— Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) May 20, 2020
I get it now, you are purposely keeping your base misinformed for votes. You already know that the @GOP
and @SenateGOP will defend your constitutional violations so who is stopping you, absolutely no one until November. https://t.co/I9yTZek3h9— David Weissman (@davidmweissman) May 20, 2020
The President of the United States is trying to take away your right to vote by withholding critical funding from the states. https://t.co/jhb7EcL6Pq
— Stand Up America (@StandUpAmerica) May 20, 2020
This is how authoritarians who are scared of voters behave. https://t.co/lQdSlB6gTT
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) May 20, 2020
Trump and the GOP are seriously worried about people voting. https://t.co/k1rh2QLwUX
— Jim Roberts (@nycjim) May 20, 2020
Trying to control an election by threatening to withhold funding?
Where have I heard this before? https://t.co/nRft63tT0l
— Rep. Mark Pocan (@repmarkpocan) May 20, 2020
Good morning, Mr. President. Some questions:
1. Why do you use mindless quotation marks?
2. They are not “illegal.” Why would you “think” that?
3. Do you know the NV SOS is a Republican?
4. Which $ do you “think” you can hold up?
5. Did you know your team here is a joke? https://t.co/5jrE916KNv— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) May 20, 2020
