MAGA activists are urging President Donald Trump to consider martial law if Republicans lose November’s midterm elections, amid unsubstantiated claims that the vote could be “rigged”.
The proposals discussed by election activists include taking control of ballots and voting equipment, pausing the election and using emergency powers to compel states to alter their voting procedures.
There is no evidence that the forthcoming election will be rigged. Several of the suggested measures would also exceed the president’s legal authority.
Peter Ticktin, a childhood friend of Mr Trump and an attorney, raised the prospect of martial law during a video call with election activists on 30 September.
“There would have to be martial law” if there were another rigged election, Mr Ticktin said.
He later said authorities might first need to take control of ballots and election equipment to investigate alleged problems.
The discussion comes as Republicans face difficult prospects in the November midterms. The Hill/Decision Desk HQ Senate forecast gives Democrats a 56 per cent chance of taking control, while its latest presidential approval tracker puts Mr Trump’s approval rating at 38.7 per cent, with 59.4 per cent disapproving.
Former Colorado county clerk Tina Peters also took part in the call. She became a prominent figure among election activists after being convicted in 2024 of crimes linked to a breach of election equipment in the state.
Ms Peters was released earlier this year after Jared Polis, Colorado’s Democratic governor, commuted her sentence. She has since promoted a plan to use hand-marked paper ballots and manually recount votes where possible, arguing that this would reduce reliance on voting machines.
Ms Peters met Mr Trump this month and had previously visited the White House with Mr Ticktin in late June.
Gregory Stenstrom, who testified about alleged voting fraud in Pennsylvania after the 2020 election, said he wanted the midterms paused over security concerns. He also suggested that Mr Trump use the National Emergencies Act to force states to change their election procedures.
The discussions show how claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election continue to influence some figures around the president. Heather Honey, who has promoted claims about election irregularities, is now the Homeland Security Department’s deputy assistant secretary for election integrity, while White House adviser Peter Navarro has continued to promote allegations surrounding the 2020 vote.
The White House said Mr Trump believes every legal vote should count and that elections must be protected and transparent.
However, legal experts said the proposals face significant obstacles. Derek Tisler, counsel for the Brennan Center’s elections and government programme, said emergency powers did not give the president unrestricted control over elections.
Congress sets the date of federal elections, meaning Mr Trump cannot unilaterally postpone the midterms. States determine their voting systems and how ballots are counted, subject to federal law.
Mr Tisler said declaring martial law would not give the president authority to override state or federal election laws, or to seize election materials without legal justification.
