By Tim Reid
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump advised Christians on Friday that in the event that they vote for him this November, “in four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not gonna have to vote.”
It was not clear what the previous president meant by his remarks, in an election marketing campaign the place his Democratic opponents accuse him of being a risk to democracy, and after his try and overturn his 2020 defeat to President Joe Biden, an effort that led to the lethal rebellion on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Trump was talking at an occasion organized by the conservative group Turning Level Motion in West Palm Seaside, Florida.
Trump stated: “Christians, get out and vote, just this time. “You will not need to do it anymore. 4 extra years, you realize what, it will likely be fastened, it will likely be fantastic, you will not need to vote anymore, my stunning Christians.”
He added: “I really like you Christians. I am a Christian. I really like you, get out, you gotta get out and vote. In 4 years, you do not have to vote once more, we’ll have it fastened so good you are not going to need to vote,” Trump said.
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung did not directly address Trump’s remarks when asked to clarify them.
Cheung said Trump “was speaking about uniting this nation,” and blamed “the divisive political setting” on the attempted assassination of Trump two weeks ago. Investigators have yet to give a motive for why the 20-year-old gunman opened fire on Trump.
In an interview with Fox News in December, Trump said that if he won the Nov. 5 election he would be a dictator, but only on “day one”, to close the southern border with Mexico and expand oil drilling.
Democrats have seized on that comment. Trump has since said the remarks were a joke.
If Trump wins a second term in the White House, he can serve only four more years as president. U.S. presidents are limited to two terms, consecutive or not, under the U.S. Constitution.
In May, speaking at a National Rifle Association gathering, Trump quipped about serving more than two terms as president.
He referred to the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, the only president to serve more than two terms. The two-term limit was added after Roosevelt’s presidency.
“, FDR, 16 years – nearly 16 years – he was 4 phrases. I do not know, are we going to be thought-about three-term? Or two-term?” Trump asked the NRA crowd.
Trump’s remarks on Friday pointed to the need for both parties to energize their base voters ahead of what will likely be a closely fought election. Trump has enjoyed loyal support from evangelicals in the past two elections.
The race has abruptly tightened after the decision by Biden to end his reelection bid and with his vice president, Kamala Harris, becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee.
Recent opinion polls show Trump’s significant lead over Biden has been largely erased since the torch was passed to Harris.
Jason Singer, a Harris marketing campaign spokesperson, in a press release didn’t straight tackle Trump’s remarks about Christians not having to vote once more.
Singer described Trump’s general speech as “bizarre” and “backward looking”.
