US President Donald Trump claimed on Monday that he has the authority to issue an executive order on mail-in ballots.
“I have the right to do it,” Trump told reporters at a White House press conference, according to The Associated Press. “We haven’t gotten there yet, we’ll see what happens.”
Trump added that Republicans are planning to file suit as soon as Tuesday to try to block Nevada’s expansion of mail-in voting.
Trump has warned against mail-in ballots and said that its increasing use could increase election fraud and uncertainty.
The President caused an uproar last week when he asserted in a tweet that the US should delay its upcoming presidential election this November, due to fear of mass voter fraud if universal mail-in voting is permitted.
Trump subsequently clarified his original tweet and wrote, “Must know Election results on the night of the Election, not days, months, or even years later!”
In a conversation with reporters that day, the President appeared to walk back on the idea of delaying the 2020 election, though he continued to raise doubts about efforts to expand mail-in voting in some states to respond to the coronavirus.
"Do I want to see a date change? No," Trump said at the White House. "But I don't want to see a crooked election."
On Sunday, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said the November presidential election would go ahead as planned and stressed that Trump “has not looked at delaying any election.”
“We’re going to hold an election on November 3 and the president is going to win,” continued Meadows.