White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is facing sharp criticism after defending President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the federal government should take control of U.S. elections—an idea that directly clashes with the Constitution.

Trump ignited backlash this week after claiming that alleged election fraud meant elections should be nationalized, despite the Constitution explicitly granting states the authority to administer their own voting systems. The United States currently runs elections through roughly 10,000 state and local jurisdictions, with no legal mechanism allowing a president to simply “take over” the process.

When pressed by reporters on Tuesday, Leavitt initially insisted that Trump respects the Constitution. “The president believes in the United States Constitution,” she said—before adding a word that immediately set off alarms. “However,” Leavitt continued, claiming that widespread fraud and irregularities justified Trump’s desire to push for nationwide voter ID requirements.

That single caveat quickly became the focus of criticism. Democratic activist Melanie D’Arrigo mocked the statement online, writing that “The president believes in the United States Constitution, however…” sounded like a running list of constitutional violations. Other users pointed out that genuine belief in the Constitution doesn’t require a qualifying “however.”

House Democrat Jim McGovern responded by posting the dictionary definition of “however” beneath a clip of Leavitt’s remarks, underscoring the contradiction. Colorado Rep. Jason Crow, a combat veteran who served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, shared the same footage alongside a stark reminder of what constitutional defense actually means. “I went to war three times to defend our country,” Crow wrote. “I swore a lifetime oath to our Constitution. I intend to keep it.”

Trump’s renewed rhetoric fits a familiar pattern. He has repeatedly insisted—without evidence—that the 2020 election was rigged against him, a claim that failed in every court challenge brought before judges across the country. No court has ever found proof of the widespread fraud Trump continues to allege.

At an Oval Office briefing Tuesday, Trump again leaned into that grievance, telling Republicans he wanted elections to be “honest” and suggesting federal intervention if states fail to run them properly. In reality, the president has no authority to federalize elections on his own and would need Congress to approve any changes—an outcome that remains highly unlikely.