US President Donald Trump threatens to bypass Congress with an executive order imposing voter ID rules for the November elections, setting up a legal battle.

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has threatened to bypass Congress and impose new voting laws by executive order ahead of the November midterm elections.

He vowed to mandate photo identification for voting nationwide if legislators fail to pass the reforms.

“There will be Voter I.D. for the Midterm Elections, whether approved by Congress or not!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

He added that he would present the legal rationale for this move “in the form of an Executive Order.”

This threat comes as Trump’s Republican Party fears losing its narrow control of Congress in the upcoming polls.

The Republican-controlled House recently passed the Trump-backed “SAVE America” election reform act.

This bill would require both photo ID to cast a ballot and proof of citizenship to register.

It is expected to fail in the Senate, however, where Republicans lack the votes to pass it without Democratic support.

Critics argue there is no evidence of meaningful fraud in US elections to justify such measures.

They contend the bill would instead disenfranchise millions of Americans who lack easy access to the required documents.

An analysis by the Brennan Center found over 21 million Americans lack easy access to passports or birth certificates.

The center stated this would “disenfranchise Americans of all ages,” particularly young people and ethnic minorities.

Trump’s push also faces significant constitutional hurdles, as states retain broad control over election administration.

It remains unclear how a president could legally force a national voter ID mandate.

Trump repeated his widely debunked claim that mass fraud necessitates stricter election security.

He has propagated this falsehood for years to justify his attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss.

Polls indicate Republicans risk losing control of Congress, which would allow Democrats to block Trump’s agenda.

Democrats have signaled they could move to impeach Trump if they regain a majority.

 The Sun Malaysia