Trump fails to walk back controversial comments that supporters ‘won’t have to vote anymore’

Former president was given chance to clarify comments in new Fox News interview

Donald Trump has failed to walk back controversial comments that his supporters ‘won’t have to vote anymore’ if he wins the election in November.

The former president said in a speech last Friday that Christians would not have to worry about voting again in four years if he won back the White House. He was pressed on the issue during a new interview on Fox News with Laura Ingraham.

“That statement is very simple. I said vote for me, you’re not going to have to do it ever again. It’s true, because we have to get the vote out. Christians are not known as a big voting group,” Trump said in the Tuesday night interview.

“This time vote. I’ll straighten out the country, you won’t have to vote anymore. I won’t need your vote. You can go back to not voting,” he added.

“You meant you won’t have to vote for you because you have four years in office. Is that what you meant?” Ingraham asked Trump, which he refused to answer directly.

Ingraham told Trump that his opponents were saying that the comment meant that there would be no more elections if he won the White House again.

Ingraham asks Trump about his comments telling Christian backers they won't have to vote again in 4 years. Trump responds by saying Jews should have their heads examined if they vote for Dems. Ingraham presses him & Trump doesn't exactly quell concerns he wants to end elections. pic.twitter.com/khGeauqp9S

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 29, 2024

Trump said he had not heard that and that he meant Christians do not vote in large numbers.

“Christians do not vote well. They vote in very small percentages. Why, I don’t know. Maybe they’re disappointed in things that are happening,” Trump said. “I say, ‘You don’t vote. I’m saying go out, you must vote.’ But I said to the Christians in the room, thousands of them. I said typically, Christians do not vote.

“Don’t worry about the future,” he continued. “You have to vote on Nov. 5. After that you don’t have to worry about voting anymore. I don’t care, because we’re going to fix it. The country will be fixed … We won’t even need your vote anymore because, frankly, we will have such love.”