This archive report was first published on 13 May 2020.
On Tuesday, Jared Kushner, a senior White House adviser and President Trump's son-in-law, refused to rule out postponing the 2020 presidential election in November, sparking fears that the president might use the coronavirus crisis to delay or delegitimize the contest.
Speaking to Time magazine, Kushner said, 'I'm not sure I can commit one way or the other, but right now that's the plan,' when asked about the possibility of postponing the election due to the pandemic.
However, Kushner's comment contradicted the president's own publicly stated position on the issue. In a news conference last month, Trump said, 'The general election will happen on Nov. 3.'
Despite his victory in 2016, Trump has consistently claimed that there was widespread voter fraud in the last presidential election, without providing any evidence. His comments have raised concerns that he might use the pandemic as a pretext to delay or delegitimize the upcoming election.
On Tuesday night, Kushner sought to clarify his earlier interview, stating, 'I have not been involved in, nor am I aware of, any discussions about trying to change the date of the presidential election.'
However, his original remark on the election quickly drew fierce criticism from Trump critics, with conservative columnist William Kristol writing on Twitter, 'Kushner's statement reveals amazing ignorance of the Constitution and law.'
