Donald Trump floats delaying US election due to postal vote ‘fears’

Donald Trump has floated delaying November’s US presidential election, saying increased postal voting because of the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to fraud and inaccurate results.

In a tweet tonight, Mr Trump said “universal mail-in voting” would make the vote the “most inaccurate and fraudulent election in history”.

“It will be a great embarrassment to the USA,” he wrote.

“Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???”

It is the first time Mr Trump has floated the idea, though he has no authority to delay an election with Congress holding the power to set the date for voting.

The president has been pushing hard to block the expansion of postal voting in states around the country.

The movement was growing, as part of an effort to making voting easier, but gained momentum amid fears about coronavirus spreading as people gather at polling stations.

There is no evidence to support the idea that either absentee or mail-in ballots contribute to voter fraud.

The tweet followed one yesterday where he lashed out at conservative cable channel Fox News, accusing them of being ungrateful.

“I was on Air Force One flying to the Great State of Texas, where I just landed. It is AMAZING in watching Fox News,” the president tweeted.

“How different they are from four years ago. Not even watchable. They totally forgot who got them where they are!“

While Trump frequently appears on the morning show “Fox & Friends” and can count on the conservative-leaning network’s evening line-up to advance his agenda, he’s been known to take exception to Fox’s daytime programming, which aims to be more moderate.

It wasn’t immediately clear what segment upset the president during his flight to Texas, though he often criticises Fox’s polling, which has consistently showed him trailing Democrat Joe Biden in the November election.