TEHRAN- President Donald Trump on Tuesday doubled down on his controversial suggestion that Republicans "nationalize" elections as he continued to make false claims of widespread voter fraud and refused to accept his 2020 defeat, ABC news reported. 

"If a state can't run an election, I think the people behind me should do something about it," Trump said as he held a bill signing in the Oval Office surrounded by Republican lawmakers. "Because, you know, if you think about it, the state is an agent for the federal government in elections. I don't know why the federal government doesn't do 'em anyway."

Trump added that, in some cases, "The federal government should get involved. These are agents of the federal government to count the votes. If they can't count the votes legally and honestly, then somebody else should take it over."

He repeated unfounded claims about the 2020 election, listing Detroit, Philadelphia, and Atlanta after raising what he alleged to be “rigged, crooked elections."

The Constitution gives states the authority to run and administer federal elections, subject to laws passed by Congress.

The White House earlier Tuesday had sought to soften Trump's similar comments from Monday -- after Republican congressional leaders poured cold water on his idea.

Democrats, too, quickly blasted his remarks, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer likening them to that of a dictator.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday told reporters that Trump still supports states' constitutional authority to administer elections and that he was referring to the SAVE Act when he advocated for nationalizing elections.