Columnist Arwa Mahdawi warns that Donald Trump's Thursday primetime speech on election integrity is a calculated move to undermine future elections. She asserts that when Trump accuses others of wrongdoing, he is likely projecting his own actions.
Trump's approval ratings remain in the 30s amid the ongoing Iran conflict and rising prices. The president has been building self-serving monuments and putting his face on new $1 coins. Mahdawi notes that Trump's name will forever be associated with corruption and crime.
Trump's victim mode and media blackout
In his speech, Trump rehashed grievances about trans people, the media, and his 2020 loss to Joe Biden, claiming Chinese interference and election fraud. He stated, "No country can be great without fair and honest elections." However, NBC and ABC declined to broadcast the speech, citing lack of public importance. CBS aired it but warned viewers that much of what Trump said on election integrity is false.
Step one: undermine confidence
Mahdawi outlines a five-step plan she attributes to Trump. Step one is undermining confidence in the electoral system, which Trump has done repeatedly for years. Thursday's speech was the latest installment.
Step two: dismantle independent agencies
Earlier this month, Trump fired the last three members of the US Election Assistance Commission (EAC), a bipartisan agency that develops election administration guidance. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it a "brazen attempt to seize control of our elections before a single vote is cast."
Step three: pass the Save America Act
The Save America Act requires documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote. Critics warn it could disenfranchise millions, including married women who changed their names and low-income Americans without passports. Trump has called for eliminating the filibuster to pass the bill, saying, "If we terminate the filibuster ... we will not lose an election for a hundred years."
Step four: threats and intimidation
On Friday, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin threatened state election officials with prison time if they don't comply with efforts to find noncitizens on voting lists. Data shows non-citizen registration is exceedingly rare. Mahdawi says the real message is that officials must bow to Trump's demands.
Step five: declare an emergency
If all else fails, Mahdawi suggests Trump could declare an emergency to seize voting machines or deploy the National Guard. Former Trump legal team member Ty Cobb told PBS that Trump's speech "is intended to add the predicate that he needs to declare an emergency at or about the time of the elections." Trump has insisted there are "no limits" to his power and joked about being a dictator.
Mahdawi concludes that Trump will do whatever it takes to ensure MAGA doesn't lose an election for "a hundred years" and that we should take him at his word.
