Trump to NBC's Llamas on Elections: Federal Controls Instead of State Controls if Elections Cannot Be Done Honestly and Timely, Then Something Else Has to Happen

In an Oval Office interview with NBC’s Tom Llamas, transcribed by NBC (stamped Feb. 4, 2026, 10:30 PM EST), Llamas asked about Trump’s recent suggestion of nationalizing elections. Trump named Detroit, Philadelphia and Atlanta as corrupt and, on voter ID, said: if we need to put in federal controls as opposed to state controls, remember this, they’re really an agent, accumulating the votes for who wins an election. His next sentence: If they can’t do it honestly and it can’t be done properly and timely, then something else has to happen.

The transcript does not define the “they” in his answer or say what the “something else” is.

Llamas followed with a question on whether Trump would trust the midterm results if Republicans lose Congress. Trump answered: I will if the elections are honest.

Words are the President’s, from NBC’s published transcript.