Trump twice asked Pennsylvania House speaker to help overturn election results


Over the past week, President Trump twice called Bryan Cutler, the Republican speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, asking for assistance in the quest to overturn his loss in the state.
"The president said, 'I'm hearing about all these issues in Philadelphia, and these issues with your law,'" Michael Straub, a spokesman for Cutler, told The Washington Post. "'What can we do to fix it?'" Straub, who described the calls as being "amicable," said Cutler explained to Trump that the legislature did not have the power to overturn Pennsylvania's chosen slate of electors.
Late last week, Cutler and roughly 60 other GOP state lawmakers signed a letter encouraging Pennsylvania's congressional representatives to object to the Electoral College votes received from Pennsylvania during the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trump continues to spread his baseless claims about voter fraud, despite the fact that his campaign has lost dozens of legal challenges across the country and has yet to produce any tangible evidence. The president has asked Republicans in Michigan and Georgia to overturn their results, with Trump telling Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) he should call a special legislative session in order to change how the state's electors are selected; Kemp rejected the request, saying the law would not allow it.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Deaf Republic: ‘an experimental epic of war and resistance’
The Week Recommends Ukrainian-American writer Ilya Kaminsky’s poetry collection is brought to the stage in this ‘enthralling’ production
-
The Week US subscriptions FAQ
How to manage your subscription, get digital access, enquire about delivery problems and renew gift subscriptions
-
10 upcoming albums to stream during spooky season
The Week Recommends As fall arrives, check out new albums from Taylor Swift, Jeff Tweedy, the Lemonheads and more
-
Russia slams Kyiv, hits government building
Speed Read This was Moscow's largest aerial assault since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022
-
China's Xi hosts Modi, Putin, Kim in challenge to US
Speed Read Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Asian leaders at an SCO summit
-
Russian strike on Kyiv kills 23, hits EU offices
Speed Read The strike was the second-largest since Russia invaded in 2022
-
UN votes to end Lebanon peacekeeping mission
Speed Read The Trump administration considers the UN's Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be a 'waste of money'
-
Israeli double strike on Gaza hospital kills 20
Speed Read The dead include five journalists who worked for The Associated Press, Reuters and Al Jazeera
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American cities
Under the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
Kyiv marks independence as Russia downplays peace
Speed Read President Vladimir Putin has no plans to meet with Zelenskyy for peace talks pushed by President Donald Trump
-
Trump halts Gaza visas as Israelis protest war
Speed Read Laura Loomer voiced her concerns over injured Palestinian kids being brought to the US for treatment and a potential 'Islamic invasion'