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Did Donald Trump suggest rules in the Constitution could be terminated in response to election fraud?

By Tom Kertscher
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YES

While former President Donald Trump did not cite any specifics, he did claim that rules found in the Constitution could be terminated in response to election fraud. Here is the post he made on his social media platform Truth Social in December 2022:

“A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution. Our great ‘Founders’ did not want, and would not condone, False & Fraudulent Elections!”

The Constitution does not allow any of its rules to be terminated in the manner described by Trump, legal experts told PolitiFact. A prisoner's right to trial can be suspended in times of rebellion and invasion. All other constitutional alterations must be enacted through the amendment process.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie raised Trump’s Constitution comment during the Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee on Aug. 23, 2023.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Truth Social (archive) @realDonalTrump's post
PolitiFact Can rules in the Constitution be 'terminated'?
AccountableGOP Chris Christie: “Donald Trump said it is okay to suspend the Constitution. The vote you take is to preserve, protect and defend, not suspend. I will always stand up for our constitution regardless of political pressure.” https://t.co/34CFQPe2gu
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Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.