Skip to content

Friday, Aug. 25, 2023

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


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.

See a full discussion of this at Wisconsin Watch

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

About fact briefs

Fact briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions, and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact briefs are written and published by Gigafact contributor publications.

See all fact briefs

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.

Learn More

Be a Friend of facts

Help us fund more great fact briefs like this one.