UPDATE - Trump calls US elections 'rigged,' demands voter ID, proof of citizenship for voters

ADDS TRUMP NBC INTERVİEW

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - US President Donald Trump sharply criticized American elections Sunday, calling them "rigged" and a "laughingstock all over the world" and demanding sweeping voting restrictions that he said are necessary for saving the country.

"America's elections are rigged, stolen, and a laughingstock all over the world. We are either going to fix them, or we won't have a country any longer," he wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Trump outlined the "Save America Act," asking "all Republicans to fight" for mandatory voter identification for all voters, proof of US citizenship to register, and the elimination of mail-in ballots except for illness, disability, military service or travel.

He said the act will secure voting systems and claimed that Democratic voters overwhelmingly support voter ID requirements.

Trump also said he believes the measure has bipartisan appeal among voters, claiming in an NBC interview that voter ID polls at 82% among Democrats.

"I'm not talking about Democrat politicians, I'm talking about Democrats," he said.

"We need fair elections. We need elections where people aren't able to cheat, and we're going to do that, I'm going to do that, I'm going to get it done," he added.

His proposals came days after he called for Republicans to "nationalize" and "take over" voting processes in at least 15 unspecified US locations during an interview.

Earlier, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused Trump of attempting to steal elections through nationalization efforts, vowing that Democrats will block such actions.

"What Donald Trump wants to do is try to nationalize the election. Translation: Steal it. And we're not going to let it happen." Jeffries told CNN.

The Democratic leader said his party has already blocked Republican gerrymandering efforts aimed at redrawing congressional maps in red states to "rig the midterms," as well as Trump's attempts to federalize the National Guard.