Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Thursday warned that Donald Trump may try to delay the 2020 election.
“Mark my words I think he is gonna try to kick back the election somehow, come up with some rationale why it can’t be held,” the former vice president told donors during a virtual fundraiser, according to a pool report cited by multiple outlets.
Biden also suggested Trump is doing “all he can to make it very hard for people to vote” in the ballot with his attempts to use an emergency federal loan to the Postal Service as leverage to bring it further under his administration’s control.
“Imagine threatening not to fund the post office,” Biden said at the “A Fabulous Evening With Vice President Joe Biden” online event.
“Now what in God’s name is that about?” he asked. “Other than trying to let the word out that he’s going to do all he can to make it very hard for people to vote. That’s the only way he thinks he can possibly win.”
To be clear, Trump himself cannot cancel or delay the election. The power to change the election date falls to Congress. And should the vote be postponed, then Trump’s term in office would automatically end on Jan. 20, 2021 anyway, notes Slate.
Biden also warned of Russian interference in the election and said the controversial primary that Republicans pushed ahead with in Wisconsin earlier this month (which forced thousands to the polls amid a statewide stay-at-home order amid the coronavirus pandemic) had sent a “giant warning flare to the nation.”
“Republicans were trying to force in-person voting no matter the health cost,” said Biden. “We have to figure out how we are going to conduct a full and fair and safe election in November and no one should have to risk their lives to cast a ballot.”
Actor Robert De Niro last year floated a theory that if Trump, who has repeatedly joked about being president for life, won the 2020 election then he could declare war to remain in office for a third term. The 22nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, however, prevents a president from serving more than two terms.