Extraordinary Measures Discussed on Video Call
Prominent MAGA activists and allies of President Donald Trump are openly discussing extraordinary measures, including martial law and emergency powers, in the event they decide the November midterm elections are rigged, according to reports by The News. During a September 30 video call streamed on Rumble, speakers warned of purported widespread election security breaches and urged radical solutions. Peter Ticktin, a childhood friend and attorney for Trump, stated on the call that “there would have to be martial law in the event… of another rigged election.” Ticktin later told The Daily Beast that his urgings apply to a “nightmare scenario where foreign interests take over our election equipment.”
Legal Limits and Expert Skepticism
Legal experts emphasize that executive and emergency powers do not grant the president unilateral authority to override state election laws or commandeer ballots without constitutional constraints. Derek Tisler, counsel for the Brennan Center’s elections and government program, noted that presidential emergency powers are not a blank check and that the president must act within the Constitution and statutes set by Congress. David Becker, executive director of the Centre for Election Innovative Research, pointed out that the administration has been in office for 21 months and has not implemented such emergency steps ahead of the election.
Activist Proposals and Administration Context
Other speakers on the Rumble call included Gregory Stenstrom, who testified about 2020 voting anomalies in Pennsylvania and proposed pausing the election or invoking the National Emergencies Act. Tina Peters, a prominent election activist who met with Trump in October, has promoted a separate plan calling for hand-marked paper ballots and manual recounts. Peters was convicted in 2024 of crimes tied to a breach of election equipment before her sentence was commuted by Colorado Governor Jared Polis. Meanwhile, the White House maintains that Americans deserve safe, secure, and transparent elections, as administration officials navigate ongoing debate over election integrity measures.