US officials actively prepping for Trump midterm interference: report
Their concerns follow Trump’s baseless and long-running claims of a ‘deep state’ conspiracy
A group of U.S. officials is warning states on how they can prepare in the event that the Trump administration tries to meddle with the result of the midterm elections, according to a report.
The efforts of the group, reportedly made up of 10 current and former officials with experience in the Department of Defense, are not motivated by political bias but by “a growing sense of alarm” that President Donald Trump will attempt to undermine the election result, according to The Washington Post.
Their concerns follow Trump’s baseless and long-running claims of a “deep state” conspiracy and election fraud. With his approval rating at record lows, there is an “extraordinary level of concern” that Trump could attempt to challenge the result of the midterms as he did in the 2020 presidential election, according to the newspaper.
At his midterm rallies, where he has told his supporters to vote as though he is on the ballot, Trump has repeated false claims about the 2020 election result and accused Democrats of attempting voter fraud ahead of the November 3 elections.
Officials from 10 states, including governors, election officials and Democrat and Republican lawmakers from the House and Senate, fear federal intervention to keep the GOP in power, according to the Post.
“All of them have said we’re concerned but we don’t know what to do,” a group member told the outlet. “The outcome that we hope for is that states would be prepared for any contingencies should they arise.”
The White House dismissed the group’s concerns in a statement to the Post but warned “that anyone who illegally votes in our elections will be held accountable.”
National security officials have reportedly warned the group of the ways that the Trump administration could use its federal powers to sway the vote.
One of the concerns was about the possible deployment of immigration agents or troops to polling stations based on claims of voter fraud, according to the Post.
Their warnings were reportedly not based on government intelligence or sensitive information they have access to within their respective federal agencies, but on analysis of Trump’s public statements and the administration’s activities.
The Trump administration “is taking decisive action to protect our elections including prosecuting election crimes, strengthening election infrastructure security, and protecting vulnerable voters from fraud and coercion,” White House spokesperson Lauren Bis told the outlet.
The Independent has contacted the White House for further comment.
The administration is already turning the screws ahead of the midterms. The Justice Department last week gave California authorities 48 hours to review a list of alleged noncitizen voters or face legal action, Reuters reported.
The directive required the state to withhold ballots from those named on the list until it can verify their citizenship status, signaling that the Justice Department may be prepared to challenge ballots.
On Monday, the department filed criminal charges against 28 green card holders in California, accusing them of fraudulently registering to vote.