MAGA activists are pushing for President Trump to resort to extraordinary measures — including martial law — if they believe the midterm elections are "rigged."
Why it matters: Some of the proposals go far beyond Trump's legal authority — and there's no evidence that the elections will be rigged. But people in this orbit have close access to the president.
- Prominent MAGA election activist Tina Peters met with Trump this month. Convicted in 2024 of crimes tied to a breach of election equipment, Peters was released this year after Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) commuted her sentence.
- Peters and her attorney, Peter Ticktin, also visited Trump at the White House in late June.
- Peters did not respond to attempts to contact her for comment.
Zoom in: On a September 30 video call for MAGA election activists streamed on Rumble, speakers warned of widespread election security breaches they believe will occur in November — and urgently pushed for remedies.
- Ticktin, Trump's childhood friend, said on the call "there would have to be martial law in the event... [of] another rigged election."
- "They'll probably need to be commandeering of ballots and election equipment to make sure that we can get to the bottom of it before anything further occurs," he later told Axios.
- Gregory Stenstrom, who testified about alleged voting irregularities in Pennsylvania in 2020, said he most wanted the election paused over security concerns. Alternatively, he proposed Trump invoke the National Emergencies Act to force states to change how they run elections. Stenstrom could not be reached for comment.
Peters was also on the call. She's been promoting her own plan online since August, which calls for switching to hand-marked paper ballots and a manual recount of all votes where feasible.
- "Her plan is secure the paper ballots and recount by hand," Ticktin said. In an interview with Colorado Public Radio, he further explained this "would eliminate whatever effect the machines have."
State of play: The streamed call is a regular feature in this activist community, drawing voices from across the country.
- Steve Stern, the host, directs his viewers to sign up through the Republican Party to become poll workers and observers for November. Stern declined an interview request.
Reality check: "Emergency powers are not just a blank check for the president to go do whatever they want. The president still has to act within the Constitution and within statutes set by Congress," said Derek Tisler, counsel for the Brennan Center's elections and government program.
He said those legal limits include:
- Election timing: Congress sets the date of federal elections. Trump cannot unilaterally delay the midterms.
- Counting and voting systems: States choose their voting systems and determine how votes are counted, subject to federal law. Trump cannot mandate a nationwide hand recount or order machines replaced.
- Emergency and martial law authority: Emergency powers do not allow Trump to override state election laws or constitutional restrictions. Martial law would not give Trump authority to seize control of election materials or override federal and state election laws.
The big picture: Skepticism about the 2020 election extends into Trump's administration, including officials now involved in election integrity.
- Heather Honey, most known for denying the results of the 2020 election in Pennsylvania and Arizona, is now the Homeland Security Department's deputy assistant secretary for election integrity and senior advisor to the ICE Director.
- White House adviser Peter Navarro continues to promote his own report of mass election fraud and irregularities around the 2020 election.
Between the lines: "This election did not sneak up on the administration. They've been in office for 21 months. We're 20 days away from this election, and they haven't done any of this stuff," said David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research.
- White House spokesperson Lauren Bis told Axios in a statement: "Americans deserves elections that are safe, secure, and transparent to ensure full confidence in the results. President Trump believes every legal vote must count, every election must be protected, and Americans must have complete confidence in the integrity of our elections."