Trump Says He Will Respect Midterm Results Only 'If They're Honest Elections' in Remarks One Week Before Nov. 3 Vote
President Donald Trump told reporters in Washington on October 27, 2026, before boarding Air Force One for Texas, that he will respect the results of the November 3 midterm elections only if the elections are "honest." Asked whether he would respect the outcome regardless of the result, Trump said: "I will if they're honest elections."
Trump also acknowledged that Republicans could lose control of both chambers of Congress in the midterms. Asked how he would work with Democrats if they take over the legislative branch, he said he would use his veto pen often, adding: "I hope that that won't be the case, but if it is, that's happened before with many presidents."
Polling continues to point to a possible Democratic wave, with Democrats favored to win control of the House of Representatives and holding multiple viable paths to a Senate majority. In recent weeks Trump has repeatedly accused Democrats of cheating to win elections without presenting evidence; in a primetime address in July he alleged broad vulnerabilities in U.S. voting systems and potential interference from other nations.
The Justice Department sued last week to block Alaska's certification of its U.S. Senate race if the Republican candidate loses, alleging ballot confusion because Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan has an opponent with the same name. Trump told reporters he directed the Justice Department to pursue the lawsuit.
Trump also announced this week that his administration will pay $1 million to anyone who reports voter fraud in U.S. elections, in past elections or the midterms, if the tips result in an arrest or conviction. According to USA Today, Trump earlier this year issued an executive order exerting federal control over mail ballots, but the Supreme Court intervened to stop the Postal Service from implementing the new mail-ballot rules for this election, and he directed the Department of Homeland Security to look for noncitizens on state voter rolls.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：特朗普在白宫南草坪登上「海军陆战队一号」专机（2026年5月12日资料图）。白宫官方照片，Molly Riley 摄，公共领域。 / Photo: President Donald Trump boards Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House (file photo, May 12, 2026). Official White House photo by Molly Riley, public domain.
