1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

I am a constituent writing to address remarks made by Donald Trump on January 6th suggesting—however characterized—the cancellation of the 2026 midterm elections. This issue is not about tone or intent. It is about constitutional allocation of power. Under Article I of the Constitution, the House of Representatives must be elected by the people at two-year intervals. The authority to regulate the timing of federal elections is vested in Congress, and Congress has exercised that authority through statute by fixing the dates of congressional elections. There is no constitutional or statutory mechanism by which a president may cancel, suspend, or postpone midterm elections. For that reason, any suggestion that midterm elections could be canceled misstates the law and contradicts settled constitutional structure. On January 6th—the date on which Congress is constitutionally required to certify electoral votes—such statements take on additional significance because they touch directly on the execution of federal election law. January 6th is also the date on which Congress itself was violently attacked while performing a constitutionally mandated function. Referencing the cancellation of elections on that anniversary disregards the gravity of that event and the constitutional responsibilities that were under assault. The stability of representative government depends on public confidence that elections occur as required by law, not at the discretion of political actors. Statements that imply otherwise—particularly by individuals who have previously challenged lawful election outcomes—undermine that confidence, regardless of how they are framed. As a Member of Congress, your oath obligates you to support and defend the Constitution, including its clear requirements for regular elections and the separation of powers that protects them. That obligation includes rejecting claims or rhetoric that contradict constitutional and statutory fact. Midterm elections are not subject to negotiation or suspension. They are a mandatory feature of constitutional government.