Trump Won’t Rule Out Declaring State Of Emergency Before Midterms

[u/huffpost]

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-state-of-emergency-insurrection-act-midterms_n_6abe69b0e4b02a789b333fb9?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=reddit&utm_campaign=us_main

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[u/bchamper]

He should be impeached and imprisoned for even saying this much. It’s literally treason. There is no emergency, there is zero evidence of any threat, he just knows the electorate hates his policies and he doesn’t want to be held accountable.

[u/Trump_Russia → u/bchamper]

Right?!?!

HOW is the article not "Trump may make up an emergency to influence the election."

Why are we coddling this unAmerican wannabe dictator?

[u/King_of_the_Kobolds → u/Trump_Russia]

Every single media outlet should be out for blood. Instead they tiptoe while you or I would catch a permaban for saying out loud what we're all thinking.

[u/OfficialDCShepard → u/[deleted]]

I'm not! I've been doing an independent podcast while still inside this government with video games called HistoryFlights, and I just uploaded a video scheduled for November 1st all about how we can nonviolently resist, even if he steals the election. I'm hoping to focus for the rest of the year on making a backup plan if he does...

[u/Ill-Reporter-3382 → u/[deleted]]

Thomas Jefferson expressed skepticism about newspapers, stating that "the man who reads nothing at all is **better educated than the man** who reads nothing but newspapers."

[u/DinkyTabinky → u/King_of_the_Kobolds]

I like to call it old school French diplomacy and it doesn't seem to get me banned

[u/zerrast → u/DinkyTabinky]

It is because those that would be offended don’t even know they should be offended by it.

[u/northbird2112 → u/zerrast]

You might say the point goes over their heads.

[u/CishetmaleLesbian → u/King_of_the_Kobolds]

We would catch a permaban if we wrote like Trump speaks.

[u/CouchWizard → u/Trump_Russia]

Impeachments need to start with Johnson

[u/lazyFer → u/bchamper]

The punishment for treason isn't jail

[u/Septem_151 → u/lazyFer]

Careful, I copped a 3 day ban for saying that before.

[u/lazyFer → u/Septem_151]

I've copped a temp ban for saying criminals should go to jail. So there is no level too low for some people.

Here I'm just pointing out a legal fact.

[u/InsomniaticWanderer → u/bchamper]

You know what else is literally treason?

Storming the capitol and flying an enemy flag within it's walls for the expressed purpose of overthrowing the government.

You know what we did to the guy who instigated that?

We made him president. Again.

[u/dereistic → u/InsomniaticWanderer]

And pardoned all the people involved

[u/Spurioun → u/InsomniaticWanderer]

The United States were too soft on the Confederates after the Civil War. It set the precedent and the American people are still seeing the consequences

[u/5WattBulb → u/bchamper]

We've had elections in the middle of WARS. Declaring a state of emergency isnt going to stop anything.

[u/Cool_Height_4930 → u/5WattBulb]

So this means he is going to orchestrate some shit. I predict early November.

[u/Chirotera → u/5WattBulb]

Not just any wars too, we had elections in the middle of a Civil War, lol

[u/mom0nga → u/5WattBulb]

Yep, even if he does make up some bullshit "emergency," nothing is going to actually happen, but Trump has been fixated on the idea ever since he learned that Ukraine postpones elections during wars and states of emergency:

During a joint press briefing on August 18, 2025, Zelensky was defending Ukraine’s decision not to hold a presidential election since 2019, explaining that Ukrainian law — enshrined in its constitution — prohibits elections during a period of active armed conflict. He acknowledged that an election could theoretically take place, but only with a truce: land, sky, and sea.

Trump, listening intently, interrupted. “So you’re saying during the war you can’t have elections?” he said. “So, let me just say, three-and-a-half years from now… if we happen to be in a war with somebody, no more elections. Oh, that’s good.”​

Trump (and the majority of Americans) doesn't know this, but luckily the US electoral system doesn't work the same way as Ukraine's. Each individual state runs its own elections, there is generally no provision to cancel or postpone them, and even if governors could cancel elections, they wouldn't want to because the terms of senators and representatives will end whether there's an election or not, so not holding elections would only serve to disenfranchise your state.

[u/allworkandnoYahtzee → u/bchamper]

And, considering we are in a war, treason during wartime is punishable by death. Saying he should be impeached and imprisoned actually doesn’t take it far enough.

[u/happybara_capybara → u/allworkandnoYahtzee]

There isn’t a war requirement. Treason is eligible for the death penalty at any point in time. I can’t remember which spy it was leveraged against (Ames or Hanssen) but they used it to get a guilty plea—and there was no war then. The Rosenbergs were also executed when we weren’t at war, tho admittedly that was pre-Furman so I think the policy changed a few times after them. But I think currently treason is eligible for the death penalty?

[u/Dizziesdayweigh → u/happybara_capybara]

Treason is the only crime specified in the constitution.

"Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court."

Edit: Simply allowing Putin in Alaska counts, among many other things.

[u/sgrams04]

Motherfucker, we’ve held elections through world wars and great depressions. What state of emergency are you going to invent that would remotely compare to these things?

[u/NobodyTellPoeDameron → u/sgrams04]

We held elections during the Civil War.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1864_United_States_presidential_election

[u/keyboard_jock3y → u/NobodyTellPoeDameron]

And in WWII in 1944

In Korea in 1952

In Vietnam 1968

In Iraq/Afghanistan in 2004, 2008, and 2012

[u/CapableCriticism2962 → u/keyboard_jock3y]

The last time the U.S. Congress formally declared war was on June 5, 1942, against the Axis-aligned nations of Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania.

So according to US laws no wars. You have baked a joke into your nation for many a years. Guten Appetit as we Germans say.

[u/King_of_the_Kobolds → u/NobodyTellPoeDameron]

Ah but remember, this time the Confederates are in charge.

[u/ThrowAwayAccountAMZN → u/King_of_the_Kobolds]

Guess we're gonna have to do a Part 2: Treasonous Boogaloo

[u/buffysmanycoats → u/sgrams04]

9/11 was primary day in New York and they agonized over the decision to cancel the election. It was rescheduled and took place on 9/25.

You won’t stop the election, Donald.

[u/factoid_ → u/buffysmanycoats]

Yeah, postponement has happened for natural disasters and such before. But that's weeks, and it's only in the most extreme circumstances where you have to weigh whether you disenfranchise MORE voters by rescheduling the election or by trying to have it as scheduled. Neither is usually a great option as any last minute rescheduling of an election ends up affecting how many people can vote in it.

[u/ghostintheruins → u/[deleted]]

Yeah I think this is it. They're already planting the seeds of Canada interfering in us elections. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/peter-navarro-canada-interference-elections-lobbyists-9.7362810

[u/robotoisize → u/ghostintheruins]

It's all typical projection from those idiots. Every accusation is a confession.

[u/Porphyre1 → u/ghostintheruins]

"Canada interfering in US elections." r/BrandNewSentence

[u/leaderofstars → u/sgrams04]

He's afraid of losing

[u/Level_32_Mage → u/[deleted]]

That's what makes this so hard.

[u/supercyberlurker]

Corrupting then stopping elections is in the Project 2025 plan.

Not sure what else to say here.

[u/c08306834 → u/supercyberlurker]

It's pretty wild that they just publicly published an instruction manual to overthrow democracy and are just following it to the letter.

[u/FlyingStealthPotato → u/c08306834]

The “elite” have had nearly complete control of the media for decades now. After the Arab Spring showed how social media could be used by the masses, they’ve spent a lot of effort to own and/or control those outlets in the 15ish years since.

We’re literally under mind control as a populace.

[u/eetsumkaus → u/FlyingStealthPotato]

The Tea Party was the direct product of that realization, but its successor, MAGA, took over on its own. There's no way rich people wanted someone as fickle as Trump in charge: they want someone who understands their needs and can keep his end of the bargain. Trump keeps burning even his donors (beef barons probably are not too happy at the moment) for the smallest change.

[u/joshg8 → u/eetsumkaus]

I don’t recall that as the roots of the Tea Party. I know it was co-opted and astroturfed by the Koch’s but it seemed their main gripe was that a black man was president now but they were too chickenshit to say the quiet part out loud.

[u/Acceptable_Bat379 → u/joshg8]

Yeah the tea party was started as an astroturfed anti establishment conservative party that gave Rs an "out" to keep supporting the party after the bush years, but pretend it was different. It started around 2010 or 2011 pre social media. Remember the weirdos dressed in colonial era costumes and wearing tea bags off their hats?

[u/jimothee → u/eetsumkaus]

The wealthy are publicly outraged as they make money hand over fist and the media is only showing the former

[u/Due_Speaker4655 → u/c08306834]

They know most people won’t read it and that their base can’t read.

[u/JessieJ577 → u/c08306834]

It’s crazier that Biden and Harris warned us openly about this and it barely got traction in the news or in the minds of voters.

[u/Rikudou_Sennin → u/JessieJ577]

And as the most powerful two individuals in the country, they failed to act. Even when they had every reason to after January 6th

[u/mattgodburiesit → u/c08306834]

lol and when you’d point it out to maga or independents they’d say “he said he didn’t know about it” OK IDIOTS A

[u/Pleasant_Yoghurt3915 → u/c08306834]

They knew no one would fucking read it lmao. They know the masses they’re dealing with here. I essentially begged on my fucking knees to get my circle to read Project 2025 when I first heard of it. Not a single one could be fucked to even google it. They’d nod and enthusiastically agree how crazy everything is, and then just drop it right out of their brains and carry on with their lives. No one fucking cares about anything until it genuinely impacts their personal lives, and then they just want to screech their rage and confusion into the ether without ever actually doing anything meaningful or informing themselves on anything at all. It’s trash and it’s making me simply despise everyone. We don’t need AI to take over when so many people are just straight up NPCs anyway.

[u/Gloomy-Tank9295 → u/c08306834]

it's extremely wild that we don't have a National Strike. He's everything Republicans say they hate. He's everything that intelligent people hate. He's everything that Democrats hate. He's committed every crime that the media preaches about. Think his wife and kids are even illegals. He's allowing Elon to have all of our information and he's illegal. This is what they scream about. It's the grifters and the dumb that rule the world

[u/bscheck1968 → u/supercyberlurker]

If only people would have access to that document before the last election and could have known how things would turn out. If only.

[u/OutsideLead4034 → u/bscheck1968]

Two of my coworkers yesterday could not tell me who Stephen Miller is. One later asked me if the midterms were this year. *le sigh

[u/WatsonYurfays → u/OutsideLead4034]

Your co-workers are about to get what they deserve. It's too bad they're dragging the rest of us with them.

[u/catlady203 → u/OutsideLead4034]

I'm Canadian and even I know that.

[u/who-hash → u/OutsideLead4034]

After the 2016 elections I had a coworker that said 'My husband told me that if I knew as much about politics as I did about the Kardashians then....'.

I stopped listening because I just couldn't stand to hear any more of the stupidity.

[u/HippyHunter7 → u/bscheck1968]

To the day I die I will be flabbergasted by how many people were surprised "Its actually a book!" When kamela held it up and not "Holy shit the stuff in here is horrifying!".

Critical thinking in this country is at the worst I've ever seen it.

[u/Huckleberry_Dude → u/bscheck1968]

If only there was some way to track everything in it, and the progress.

https://www.project2025.observer/en

[u/Duna_The_Lionboy → u/bscheck1968]

You expect me to read all that? I gotta know who’s winning Golden Bachelor!!!

/S

[u/Rowing_Lawyer → u/Duna_The_Lionboy]

He said he didn’t know anything about them and when has Trump ever lied about anything before

[u/MaximumEffortt → u/supercyberlurker]

My brother before the 2024 election asked me what I thought if project 2025 was a good thing. I countered with asking him if he read it. Spoiler alert: He did not read it. He can't hold a job, both him and his wife have benefited from social security blankets that would have bankrupted the both of them. The very same policies and services that project 2025 wants to do away with.

[u/Affectionate-Act1574 → u/supercyberlurker]

The amount of people in my life that told me I was crazy and overreacting when I brought this up months before the election, and in the months after…

[u/Basicly-Inevitable → u/Affectionate-Act1574]

And probably still today

[u/Zulmoka531 → u/Basicly-Inevitable]

I’m kind of tired of hearing “he can’t do that”.

No he’s not supposed to do that, and we aren’t supposed to be follow his lead. Yet he will try to do something, as he has many times, and people will in fact follow his lead as they have, many times.

Yes, go out and vote, it’s so very important. But don’t expect Trump and his followers to give up power so easily.

[u/HippyHunter7 → u/supercyberlurker]

So here's my question. How was that published, with a forward written by the candidate for the VP and it not considered sedition and treason?

Like it's literally spelling out their plan to overthrow the government and SITTING politicians helped write it and were paid to do so.

HOW is that not treason?!

[u/Gibonius → u/HippyHunter7]

It's not illegal to call for the overthrow of the government. Freedom of speech covers a lot in this country. You're pretty much OK until you're actually plotting violence or collaborating with a hostile foreign government.

And that second one is usually defined pretty narrowly, like, "we're actively in a state of war", not "they're a geopolitical adversary."

[u/trapped_in_a_box → u/HippyHunter7]

It is, but it means nothing until the penalty is enforced.

[u/sgrams04 → u/HippyHunter7]

Unfortunately, treason is legally defined in the US as aiding and abetting an enemy under an official declaration of war. That should be something that is changed given our current climate so that this stops happening and becomes prosecutable.  

[u/thisisjustascreename → u/HippyHunter7]

Treason in the colloquial sense, yes. But the legal definition is a lot harder to prove, for good reason.

[u/Mabuya85 → u/supercyberlurker]

A literal playbook published before the election, and people still don’t want to believe it’s real

[u/soulsteela]

It’s why Elon is back time to rig rig rig.

[u/WalkonWalrus → u/soulsteela]

Probably why Hegseth gave him a cushy job as a new military strategist

[u/soulsteela → u/WalkonWalrus]

The Zap Brannigan position!

[u/brickeldrums → u/soulsteela]

Holy shit, I think you’re on to something, He’s lurking around again close to another pivotal election. Now that Elmo has a position in the military for some reason, wouldn’t be surprised if they deploy military to meddle with the election. This might get crazy

[u/highsinthe70s]

““I could use it. A lot of people think I should use it sometimes,” Trump said of invoking the Insurrection Act.

He loves making comments like this, where he tells everyone what he could do, because it makes him feel very powerful. I’m not sure that any Republican with designs on 2028 or beyond would want to go along with it. My guess is, they’d love to lose in 2026 so they can run as opposition, which is always easier, in 2028.

Who knows. I’m just grateful that every passing day is one day closer to our never having to see or hear from him again.

[u/fe-and-wine → u/highsinthe70s]

I’m just grateful that every passing day is one day closer to our never having to see or hear from him again.

Every single day I wake up and immediately do a quick refresh of my news feed the same way you'd check your email after a job interview or your texts after giving someone your number.

[u/KingZarkon → u/fe-and-wine]

We're all looking for that one headline. Every time I get a push notification from my news apps, especially when I get several close together, there is always that very brief moment of Is this the one?

It's like the joke about the guy who always stops at the news stand and looks at the paper like he's looking for something. The owner of the stand finally asks him what it is he's looking for. The man replies that he's looking for an obituary. "But the obituaries are near the back," the owner tells him. "Not the one I'm looking for," the man replies.

[u/paleandmistywhite → u/highsinthe70s]

I really like that positive statement at the end — good way to think about this!

[u/Big_Lab_Jagr]

You don't get to sit around contemplating an emergency declaration. That goes against the very nature of an emergency.

[u/jedre → u/Big_Lab_Jagr]

Exactly. This statement itself is evidence of the non-emergency nature of whatever he’s gonna try. And evidence of the forethought and understanding of it.

[u/reddittorbrigade]

Trump will do it to rig our election.

This criminal president will do everything to win.

[u/utzutzutzpro → u/reddittorbrigade]

I do not understnd this?

When they literally communicate that they will use this as a method to block something else, then how can it be a state of emergency?

They just declared there is no emergency, they will invent one. They literally stated that.

[u/SafeForTwerking]

In a sane world, this would have been an immediate end of this administration, with new elections for president underway. That should be considered treason and he should be locked up. This should be considered absolutely unacceptable behavior from a sitting (or non-sitting president). The only national emergency we're facing right now is this administration itself. If/when Democrats get back into power, they need to add WAY more guardrails to the system to prevent anybody like this from ever coming into power again.

The one saving grace we have with Trump is he's probably too stupid to fully take advantage of becoming a despot, we may not be so lucky the next time around.

[u/Dry_Okra_4839 → u/SafeForTwerking]

The real emergency are millions of people that would gladly vote for him again. And they will in 2028.

[u/Exacting63 → u/[deleted]]

Sure he got votes but don't think for second they didn't cheat with elons help then wiped all evidence of it with their fkn doge deal right at the beginning

[u/Pockydo]

I'm half expecting a reichstag fire to push the canceling of it

But Im hopeful it won't work bc we literally never canceled election's

[u/HomeworkInevitable99 → u/Pockydo]

1 Declare emergency.

2 democrats protest

3 trump says, "there, I told you it was an emergency"

[u/runawaydoctorate → u/Pockydo]

The federal government can't cancel elections. The federal government can't cancel elections because the federal government does not administer the elections. That's up to states. Moreover, if a state somehow fails to run its Congressional election, they just won't have representation in Congress because those terms are baked into the Constitution itself. The federal government can howl and scream. Trump can make phone calls. Compliant states can make compliant noises, but it is not in their interest to actually comply and the federal government can't force them.

[u/yesrushgenesis2112 → u/runawaydoctorate]

Precisely. So much of Trump’s strategy is to play into the fact that much of the US, and global, population has no idea how our system works, and they let the fear of what they imagine Trump might do fill in the gaps without bothering to learn that there are, even for as bad as things are, still significant obstacles in his way.

I wish more Americans would educate themselves and in so doing strip Trump of much of his rhetorical power, but of course there are many systemic and individual issues for why that doesn’t happen

[u/CrazyPlato → u/Pockydo]

IIRC didn’t Trump try to cancel the elections in 2020, citing Covid as a justification to close the polling centers?

I’m actually a bit hazy on what happened that year. But it’s pretty on brand for Trump.

[u/burlap_underground]

Where's the emergency?

[u/MoogProg → u/burlap_underground]

At the polls. The enemy is advancing with ballots, and they must be stopped.

[u/ExecutiveCactus → u/MoogProg]

THIS IS MY BALLOT. THERE ARE MANY LIKE IT BUT THIS ONE IS MINE

MY BALLOT IS MY BEST FRIEND. IT IS MY LIFE. I MUST MASTER IT AS I MASTER MYSELF.

[u/Er3bus13 → u/burlap_underground]

Fucking republicans think every urban center is burnt out husk of debauchery. They dont live in reality.

[u/burlap_underground → u/Er3bus13]

We could all record videos at the center of major cities and post them for two weeks straight and it wouldn't move the needle at all. Folks just living in fully different realities. Great! awesome! yay!

[u/timoumd → u/burlap_underground]

https://www.realclearpolling.com/latest-polls/senate

[u/hstmqrqe → u/burlap_underground]

Having an actual emergency is irrelevant and/or not required.

[u/flyingbookman → u/hstmqrqe]

How can we be in a new Golden Age and a State of Emergency at the same time?

[u/Dubyew → u/flyingbookman]

It's the Golden Emergency

[u/invisable_burt]

How many states of emergency can be declared before Americans see him as the boy who cried wolf to stay in power

[u/WidgetWarrior]

What would we as average everyday Americans actually see if he does all this? I'm genuinely curious

[u/Slippery-ape → u/WidgetWarrior]

Armed personnel at voting locations.

[u/WidgetWarrior → u/Slippery-ape]

Can't the states prevent that from happening, because elections are managed by the state?

[u/Slippery-ape → u/WidgetWarrior]

With a scotus ruling maybe. But all they can do is put their own officers there which is the same thing. Not that cops really go against other cops anyway.

[u/turdlepikle → u/WidgetWarrior]

It's almost like they are creating a fake conflict to send armed people in, and then hope a real conflict happens when people protest or States try to block them, and then they'll say "see, we need to send them in to protect the voters! Look at the communists trying to block us!"

[u/Stinky_Fartface → u/WidgetWarrior]

I’m not sure how they could stop it. He will do it too late for SCOTUS to act to stop it, and even if they do rule against it what would stop him from just ignoring them? He will federalize the National guard and then are we expecting the police to hold them back? We’re quickly moving into “civil war or accept the coup” territory here.

[u/HellishButter → u/Slippery-ape]

They are going to have to shoot me to stop me from voting. If they do, at least they are putting me out of my misery.

[u/ATX_native → u/WidgetWarrior]

I really think the team sport aspect will kick in unfortunately.

The gun groups and militia men that supposedly caress the constitution in bed every night were the first ones to cheer on going after peaceful protestors and the wholesale systematic disappearing of large amounts of people to continents that they have never set foot in, to literally be slaves in foreign prison that have no accountability.

The asylum process has has been in shambles, something we used to care about.

I genuinely think as long as it’s happening to others, and furthers their cause, the will sadly think it’s ok.

Germany in the late 20’s to early 30’s should be a lesson, it didn’t start with every group. Soon rivals and dissidents were sent to camps.

So much for their slippery slopes around their guns I guess.

[u/Borazon → u/WidgetWarrior]

Most likely is interrupting the process at every and all steps.

• Send military/ICE to polling stations (you know, those democratic ones in big cities where the lines are up to 8 hours to vote). Start doing ID checks or such, to hold up the process even more.
• If a ruckus breaks out of it, it directly can be escalated and will still achieve it's purpose, try to limited votes likely to be democratic ones.

After the polls close:

• Seize ballots, especially the vote by mail ones.
• Disrupt the counts, by whatever reason the DOJ can think up.
• All to delay delay delay and get SCOTUS to approve only votes counted on the day itself.

After that it will be mostly lawfare. Endless litigations up to the SCOTUS again.

Also, if the shit really hits the fan. That the steal/coupe is so obvious that people really wake up and get out on the streets. He can preventatively send military to whatever he wants.

[u/freakincampers]

Elections didn’t stop during both world wars…

[u/SuccessfulHedgehog90 → u/freakincampers]

Or the Civil War.

[u/goodsnpr → u/freakincampers]

Fuck that, they didn't stop during the CIVIL WAR. If that didn't stop elections, then nothing should.

[u/BerryLanky]

What would the emergency be? A fair election? The MAGA group that screamed ‘government control’ over a mask mandate during a pandemic would be ok with this?

[u/cosmicterrapin612 → u/BerryLanky]

I wouldn't be surprised if they performed a false flag attack staged as an emergency so they have a "good reason to keep Americans safe," while also canceling midterms. I feel like things will escalate in the next month.

[u/ArrowheadDZ → u/cosmicterrapin612]

“Antifa submarines have been spotted offshore and we have reason to believe an invasion is imminent.” And 77 million Americans will not just tolerate, but demand that America invades Antifastan before it’s too late.

[u/National-Charity-435 → u/BerryLanky]

Oil emergency that he caused

[u/CrimsonHeretic]

Is the emergency that there's a fascist authoritarian regime dismantling the federal government and the other pillars of government are letting them get away with it all?

[u/HeavyTea]

A "Mafia bust-out" is a fraudulent scheme where criminals take over a legitimate business and exploit its credit, cash, and assets until it goes bankrupt. It is depicted in the movie 'Goodfellas'.

America knows this now. The country is being 'busted-out' by Trump (as predicted).

Solution: Could the US use the RICO laws to stop the Trump Mafia?

[u/fffangold]

It won't happen. Trump can declare a state of emergency, sure. But the states run elections. So even if he says, claims, writes an Executive Order, whatever, he can't actually stop us from having elections. The states just have to do it anyway.

In fact, with the way government works, any state who doesn't hold an election will be at a disadvantage in the federal governement, since their reps will not remain in Congress. Which means that if even some states hold their elections, it becomes more beneficial to every other state to also hold their elections.

It's incredibly unlikely this gets any traction. If it would, he'd have done it well before now.

[u/JacyWills → u/fffangold]

There are two months between the election and the new Congress being sworn in. If this regime sees the writing on the wall, things could get very very ugly here. I hope for a smooth transition of power, but given Jan 6, I have my doubts that we'll have one.

[u/Orange8920 → u/JacyWills]

I appreciate you calling this administration for what it is, a regime.

[u/K-Dub59 → u/JacyWills]

This is what I’m most worried about. What’s gonna happen through the end of the year.

[u/chad917 → u/fffangold]

Red state govts will do what he says, and they've exhaustively done the math for this coup. Just like every other treasonous sabotage that has come our way since 2012

[u/SheepherderHot1415 → u/fffangold]

Unfortunately I can't count the number of times people have said "but he can't...." or "but the constitution says..." ....and then he does whatever he feels like. The dude doesn't care what is legal or not legal. He knows he can do stuff and then fight it out later and lose, after it's already done. See: tariffs, and so many other things. Not saying he will or won't... just saying "he can't..." isn't a great argument at this point.

[u/LM439833624CN]

If you guys don't hold a Nuremberg type trial after this presidency, you will have failed as a nation.

[u/BellTollForYou → u/LM439833624CN]

We’ve already failed as a nation, unfortunately.

[u/AdEffective2701 → u/BellTollForYou]

Words from the graves of all the mass murdered school children.

[u/bat_in_the_stacks → u/LM439833624CN]

We're trying to dismantle the world court, which is basically the successor to Nuremberg. 🤕

[u/Under_Milkwood_1969]

I think everyone knows this is coming; the clamp down on the free press, the massive increase in the size of ICE plus the culling of any leadership from the regular military that might dissent makes it imminent.

[u/Inevitable_Front_276]

Fuck Trump. Fuck ICE. Fuck anyone who defends this petulant child and his lackeys.

[u/StrangeJunket2601]

The more he says dumb things like this, the more people are reminded why they hate him. So keep talking. Keep saying things like this. American voters have the memory of gold fishes, so it helps that they get reminded

[u/GuavaShaper]

First he'll joke about it. Then he won't say he won't do it. Then he'll do it. Then he'll probably flip flop and take it back and deny ever having the idea in the first place.

It's another pointless shit show. He's such a queen.

I'm so tired of the constant song and dance and the persistent prodding of the cracks of what remains of our oligarchy dressed up to look like a democracy. Just give people healthcare already.

[u/OG_2_tone420]

Forget about the legality of this etc for a second.

Can someone explain what this would actually look like for an average citizen like myself?

Does the military mobilize in a state?

Would I see troops and armor on street corners?

Would agents physically go and close or take over actual polling places?

What would this look like in the real world?

[u/Swear_to_Swear_More → u/OG_2_tone420]

I mean…honestly it would just require closing the polling stations. Maybe police would be on guard in case people started to actually riot? It’s scary how easy it would be but I don’t think it’s gonna look like the explosion some might be envisioning.

It’s true that the elections are run by the states but there are also a lot of states that are controlled by people up trumps ass and these would be the states that would gladly shut down their elections if it looks like they’re going to lose power. Looking at you Texas.

[u/PretendAirport → u/OG_2_tone420]

It’s a question of what Trump thinks he can accomplish.

just spitballing…

Declaring an emergency too early allows states to adapt and make sure elections run fine. Late-ish allows for more surprise, but makes coordination tough.

If the goal is…
1 - IMPACT election DAY (suppress turnout? Limit polling places?)
Then it’s gonna be an extremely targeted troop deployment, to very specific counties in specific states. Curfew/lock down. Easier to do in red states.

So, for instance, declare a lockdown on a few very blue neighborhoods in Austin, TX. Even just from 6am until noon, enough to make it hard for a bunch of Talarico voters to get to the polls. Paxton wins.

He’ll have primed the Governor and the local red media to LUNGE at declaring the winner the instant it’s possible. Then, any challenges will have an uphill, post-election court fight - because there’s “already a winner” and the election wasn’t canceled.

If the goal is to…
2 - screw up Election Day (and mail-in) ENOUGH to declare the election compromised or broken (so that his allies in Congress will have a justification to refuse to seat newly elected officials) - it will still be in contested states, but it will be all for media. BIG deployments in city parks, shut down highways… try to show activity in as many places as possible. Too many to track, and all with the message “there is a massive fraud campaign all over, and we’re fighting it”

All to build sentiment that there is a nation-wide fraud conspiracy and NONE of the election results can be trusted (unless republicans win, of course).

Both of these will be logistically difficult, but not impossible, and will be best done by surprise.
And it will definitely be ICE he sends - much easier to move them around (and in plain clothes) than activate army or marines or whatever.

[u/Kiyohara → u/OG_2_tone420]

We would see military units (mostly National Guardsmen) deployed to the areas deemed in emergency and they would likely set up curfews, patrol troubled neighborhoods, and watch over the poles Edit: polls.

That's all I can say for sure, however in other countries where this has happened ballots have been seized, people on lists are arrested, and others are encouraged to not vote. And generally the "emergency areas" are those that poll heavily against the ruling party.

If conflict or protests turn violent, the National Guard is allowed to use lethal force and equipment beyond riot control. In the US's past (especially during labor disputes and civil rights disputes) this has included machine guns, bombs dropped by aircraft, armor, and cavalry. Look to the battle of Blair Mountain and the WW1 Veteran's riots.

[u/14MTH30n3]

The president has no power to cancel or delay the midterms, emergency or not.

Congress sets the date by federal law (the Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even years). Only Congress can change it.

States run the elections, not the president. The Constitution gives the president no role in election administration.

Emergency powers don't cover it. None of the 100+ emergency statutes include any power over election dates.

Terms end automatically. Under the 20th Amendment, House terms end January 3 whether an election happens or not. No election wouldn't keep anyone in office; it would just leave seats empty.

Even during the Civil War, the US held its elections on schedule.

[u/OmgSlayKween → u/14MTH30n3]

Haha yeah kinda like only Congress can authorize strikes on Iran and Venezuela, right?

and only Congress can authorize tariffs, right?

and he would surely never withhold $5b in Congress-appropriated EV funds, right?

and he would surely never fire congressionally-protected FTC commissioners, right?

and he would surely never federalize the National Guard over a governor's objections, right?

and he would never rename the DOD without congressional approval, right?

Stop acting like the law has any relevance. It doesn't.

[u/Troll_Enthusiast → u/OmgSlayKween]

He can try all he wants but nothing will stop the election from happening

[u/mybrosteve → u/OmgSlayKween]

The Presidents orders, especially illegal ones, only carry as much weight as we choose to give them. The President doesn't have anywhere near enough support to physically stop elections from happening, which is the only way he could do it. 

[u/slightlyused]

But what is the emergency?

[u/sutree1 → u/slightlyused]

The emergency is he can't win honestly

[u/Jhoag7750]

This statement alone should be reason enough to charge him with treason. This man has got to be removed.

[u/Jeremisio]

It’s weird to be hypothetical about state’s of emergency. the only thing that should cancel elections is Godzilla or aliens or something imminent. Not anything that can be mulled over and could go either way.

[u/runawaydoctorate → u/Jeremisio]

Not even a Civil War canceled elections. All your postulated scenarios would do is suppress turnout.

[u/aerdvarkk]

PSA: Trump invoking the Insurrection Act DOES NOT give him any authority over elections.

[u/Warkupo]

Trump is a rapist with a rapist mindset; he will absolutely do everything in his power to make sure the Mid-Terms go his way. The idea that a rapist would 'play fair' or respect the will of another person is naive to the point of stupidity.

[u/DG04511]

After Trump incited the J6 insurrection, it was clear there is no depth to which he would stoop to get his way. He is the most anti-American president to ever hold the office and will forever be a stain on this country’s record.

[u/Lalocal4life]

This is an emergency to Republicans. The possibility that the republican party might NEVER hold a majority again is an absolute nightmare for the gop. If texas goes blue and they "mamdani" the state, younger voters may change voting patterns for decades.

[u/Chrahhh]

Been in a state of emergency since Jan 20, 2017.

Hurry up and die, old man.

[u/FallingDiscontent]

What's the end game to this? They already gun downed and killed an ICU nurse. Do we really want to head to the path of disposing the people we most need in society because one party wants all the power? Is that really what we're doing? Maybe rich people should just realize they have it pretty good right now instead of awakening a beast they can't contain

[u/Diagonaldog]

Is this not akin to admitting it would be blatantly fake?

[u/PositiveCoyote100]

When your president gets caught openly trying to overturn election results, and he not only avoids prosecution, but actually gets reelected, your democracy is effectively dead.

[u/schpreck]

He’s going to do it, isn’t he? Shit’s about to get real sketchy soon. Even sketchier than it is now, which is wild.

[u/Calinthalus]

If Trump ruled it out, would anyone actually trust him to stick to that ruling? Why do we keep asking him these stupid questions as if truth or honesty exist in his head?

[u/MurtaghInfin8]

President of "everything is on the table" normally means that he doesn't know where the table is.

[u/BargainScotch]

So many people have downplayed this. Maybe he won’t. But the fact that it’s even up for discussion is absolutely insane.

[u/Chemical-Swing-420 → u/BargainScotch]

Trump will when all other options to steal the election has failed...

[u/Vivid-Use1749]

Repeating a lie over and over gets people to believe it must be true. So, let me repeat a truth and see what happens:

There is no voting irregularity prevalent enough to be of any concern. A study on Voter ID found it occurred, but at only 0.0023%, meaning it would literally have to be 1000X worse just to hit 2.3%. Another academic study found that mail-in ballot was even better controlled by existing state voting safeguards, it occurs at a measly 0.00004%, meaning it needs to be 100,000X worse to hit 4%.

And in case you believe that since the GOP are so about it, they must know something everyone else doesn't, or they're honestly just wanting everything to be fraud-proof (while pointing fingers at Dems.) for everyone,...

...when Florida and Texas passed their Voter ID laws, Black churches started drives to get their communities 100% compliant and able to vote. As an immediate response, the Florida and Texas state GOPs desperately ran to the courts to try to stop the drives.

This is basically all you need to know the truth about the Republican voter fraud hoax. (an actual hoax, this time)

[u/an_actual_coyote]

He's trying to find something to Reichstag so bad.

[u/masstransience]

He literally said no one would need to vote again if he was elected a second time. Republicans are licking boots all they can to destroy our democracy.

[u/mysterious_jeffrey]

We had elections during the Civil War. 

This is desperation. And it is unforgivable that this guy ever got to take office ever.

[u/Successful_Note_5871]

I'm just thankful the polling has been so bad and impossible to ignore. He's playing with fire. Practically daring a military leader to stop him. Perhaps that's why Hegseth fired more people recently. Even being cynical, I don't think they have the charisma or intelligence to pull this off.

[u/Pxlfreaky]

I don’t know what he’s going to do, but he’s definitely going to do something to create chaos and doubt.

[u/Oregonhastrees]

I’d love to see this argument in court. “So you were trying to decide whether there was an emergency or not?” “ yes my poll numbers looked bad”

[u/ShampooChii]

It's hard watching from Canada because y'all voted for him... TWICE. And you were warned SO. MANY. TIMES. And you know how many male Americans I spoke with voted for Trump because Hillary and Kamala were "annoying" and "incompetent", and that Trump is a "strong leader". It's really sad.

[u/Jrewy → u/ShampooChii]

I’m convinced Elon Musk fucked with the last election to get the Republican win.

[u/Nice_Assistance_5543 → u/ShampooChii]

It's not as simple as that. Many of us didn't vote for him, and because of the electoral college, the sad fact is that there's only REALLY a few relevant states. People will look at non-voters and that sucks, but like, being a non-voter in California or NY or CT is mostly irrelevant.

Our country has severe systemic problems with "democracy" that have led to this.

[u/Wayofchinchilla → u/Nice_Assistance_5543]

Also taken to account the Republicans have been setting for this moment for decades slowly cutting things like education and stoking fears about immigration to people in the South who don't have anything but rage and fear putting forth podcasters that reteach these poorly educated people that masculinity is never voting for a woman or admitting you lost it's not simply as simple as people were stupid and they voted for him this is something that's been building for a long time put together by people like Mitch McConnell and Steve Bannon who have been working behind the scenes of the GOP for years.

[u/Amazing_Incident1521 → u/Nice_Assistance_5543]

also important to remember that the majority of the country didn't vote for him. The majority was split between Harris and other candidates

[u/Cantras0079 → u/ShampooChii]

First off, I apologize on behalf of my whoooole country for this…disaster of a situation with having a narcissistic psychopath running the country next door to you. No one likes bad neighbors lol Secondly, I just want to say, white male American here, voted against him every time. He’s a vile monster and I knew that before 2016. Hillary wasn’t my favorite candidate ever but I knew she’d make a good president. Harris I liked, and again, I thought she’d be a good president. I know that doesn’t change what’s happened, but there’s still plenty of us who aren’t like that here. I know that changes nothing, but some of us are trying.

[u/Useful_Fee_2875]

This Republican Party has completely gone off the rails. It has ceased to be a governing party and needs to be abolished this MAGA ideology has far run its course and it needs to end. I think instead of any of the ideas that they come up with I think anybody who voted for Donald Trump should self deport themselves to some of the countries they’re sending illegal immigrants to and anybody who confirmed Pete Hegseth along with all the other creeps in this administration should resign from their post today and there should be new elections called to replace them. This has just become an intolerable unsustainable situation that needs to end immediately for the welfare and future of this country.

[u/Bob_Obloooog]

A state of emergency has no affect on state run elections.

[u/coatofforearm]

" President is asking Congress for money for fuel as the budget for Diesel has been reached for the year and military are left stranded at bases"

[u/Toadfinger]

Traitor Trump himself is the emergency.

[u/slutdragon32]

Just ignore it like he does the courts. This country has been in a "state of emergency" for 10 years.

[u/one_pound_of_flesh]

He’s gonna do it and everyone is still going to be shocked for some reason.

He’s not subtle. He’s broadcasting everything he is going to do. Ignore him at your peril.

[u/TrenchGorefare]

He’s going to try to cancel or in some way subvert the election. There is absolutely no doubt about it. We can’t rely on the Supreme Court to save us. When he does, I hope we all take to streets and demand not only our elections, but his and his entire cabinet’s resignation 🇺🇸

[u/sirhackenslash]

Trump won't rule out thing he has been blatantly planning in plain site

[u/Competitive_Fee_5829]

his go to "a lot of people think...". no. they dont.

[u/A8Bit]

I wouldn't believe him if he did.

If anything, him saying he wouldn't do that only makes it more likely.

[u/Mean-Cheesecake-2635]

We’re gonna see so many shenanigans in this election from the right it’s gonna make our heads spin.

[u/mikemflash]

Not to say that the moron won't do it, but he's just stirring shit here.

[u/VigilantVet]

Get ready to march on Washington folks. Unless you don’t give a shit about Democracy and your voice being heard.

[u/notassigned2023]

Go ahead, end your presidency.

[u/technicalconsole]

SCOTUS said presidents can’t be charged with crimes so, the fuck is there to stop him from doing anything and everything he wants? This country is a joke!

[u/HeavensentLXXI]

Full blown dictatorship. Almost feels like Star Wars prequels. Creating a fake event to get yourself expanded powers and to be crowned as Supreme Chancellor "until the threat has passed" is exactly where we're headed. Democracy will die with thunderous applause by Republicans.

[u/Avoidtolls]

We had elections during the civil war.

[u/Loyal-Opposition-USA]

We are voting anyway. Try and stop us, see what happens.

[u/WaterGlassPuncherMan]

Hes planning for an impromptu emergency to happen just when he needs it.

How convenient.

[u/whomad1215]

ok, state of emergency

red states don't hold elections

everyone else does

soo... texas/florida/etc just aren't going to send any reps to DC then?

[u/CobraMurderChicken]

Fascists gonna fascist.