In one of his late-night social media rants, President Donald Trump went after, well, the United States of America, saying that voting is corrupt.
He went so far as to compare cities including Detroit and Philadelphia, and the state of California unfavorably with Brazil.
Trump wrote: “125 Million People voted today in the first round of Brazil’s Presidential Election. The results came out shortly after the vote closed, on the SAME DAY! In Detroit, Philadelphia, California, and numerous other U.S. Cities and States, the results, with much smaller numbers, will often take weeks to Rig, I mean, calculate. Voting in America is CORRUPT!!!”
Oddly enough, in the same thread, he reiterated his pledge to give $5,000 checks to U.S. adults if Republicans maintain control of Congress. He actually pinned that offer to the top of his Truth Social feed on Monday.
"Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to signing those checks! President DONALD J. TRUMP," he wrote. And that promise has been characterized by many as an illegal attempt to bribe voters.
His offer comes as polling indicates that Democrats are likely to win back the House of Representatives and potentially the Senate, with Republicans facing challenges due to Trump's approval ratings and concerns about inflation and the Iran war.
Trump is attempting to shore up votes with in-person rallies in states like Ohio and Nebraska. He's paid particular attention to Ohio where he's trying to boost incumbent Sen. Jon Husted and GOP nominee for governor, Vivek Ramaswamy, in competitive races. The battle between Husted and Sherrod Brown for the Senate seat is crucial, with significant financial support from groups like Senate Leadership Fund.
Trump acknowledged the challenge of motivating Trump-loyal voters in off-year elections, stating, "When I run, we win."
He also continues to beat the drumbeat of election interference since he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden. No evidence has ever been discovered. Trump's claims generated multiple court losses and reports from the Department of Justice and Homeland Security finding no evidence of fraud.
Still, his claims strike a chord with some. A Gallup poll revealed that 90 percent of Americans believe government corruption is widespread, reflecting broader concerns about corruption in the U.S.
