Hasn’t the child been left in the house long enough? All you Congress members who should be parenting this willful little man are off drinking with your friends and he is breaking things.
If you Congress members who are supposed to be parenting this willful man child don’t step up and start acting like grown ups this baby man will hurt you and your family and your family’s family.
You know, if you’ve watched any toddler experimenting with stuff, that they can burn down the house. It’s up to you to be the parent here. Your man baby is burning down the house. And you’re in it.
agree, but they haven't done it for years. They lost control when the Senate didn't vote to impeach him. now we have Tillis from NC calling him out - but he's retiring, so nobody listens to him.
Yes that’s true, Jay. I don’t think he is useless - he can do real harm to Trump with that. And I hope he does.
What I was getting at was how, now that he is retiring, he seems to have developed a backbone of sorts and is willing to buck Trump. He’s had all kinds of “fiery speeches” on the Senate floor. But where has be been up till now?
I blame him directly for Hegseth’s confirmation as SecDef. He said he was a No. Next day - (after some Trump pressure and threats) he “saw his way to Yes”. Had he held, Hegseth would have gone down, and I believe it might have created a structure for other R’s to vote down at least a couple of the other cabinet officers - maybe Kennedy voting no on RFK.
And by the way, I am from NC, Tillis is one of my senators, so I’ve kept tabs on him.
There ARE no adults. They've all been let into the candy store, and they're too busy running amok and stuffing their own pockets to "parent" the toddler in chief.
In Trump 1.0 at least there were the occasional reassurances that there were still adults in the room when the man child had his tantrums. In 2.0 there are zero adults in the room. It’s all an unsupervised daycare.
trump and DOJ already are setting the table for major disruption of November's mid-terms, musing just recently how he "regrets" not seizing voting machines in key precincts following the 2020 election counts. Well, he'll have no compunctions THIS cycle of perpetrating major interference, and I can see roving teams of ICE/CBP goons invading election offices in Blue/Purple states to grab machines, shouting "Fraud!" as they terrorize election workers. That is, unless Dem Governors have their National Guard commandants on speed-dial, ready to suppress lawless actions by the feds.
trump is still a long way away from bowing to institutional restraints, and quite honestly, force MUST be met by force, it's all this POS understands.
I have no doubt that Dem governors have put their respective National Guard on notice as MN Governor has already stated publicly. I'm sure the commanding officers are on speed dial now and for the foreseeable future.
I agree, and to further your point - he has stacked the military with his loyalists, and they've trashed the 6 reps who simply reminded the military that the law says they don't have to obey illegal orders. Look at what they are doing to Sen Kelly - one of the most accomplished military members in the history of the country.
When trump waves at the military and tells them to block voting, seize voting machines, cancel protest and voter rallies, they will do it without a second thought.
I agree, Lance. We saw all the GOP dirty election tricks in 2024. We saw Elon buy votes.
Many of us suspect that Elon's hacker posse also pulled some dirty tricks.
Suppose the handlers have tRump invoke the Insurrection Act? He's already mentioned it, which is his perennial M.O.: just float an idea "jokingly," and a couple months later, BOOM! He does it for real.
As for the courts, sure, they might rule against him eventually, but after it's a fait accompli, who's gonna throw him out?
The military leaders see what is happening. As long as they side with the Constitution, we are fine. If they go full MAGA, we are lost. I still think they will not follow illegal orders. They know there had been no insurrection
They've already followed dozens of illegal orders. It was illegal to kidnap Maduro, killing over 70 people in the process. Every fishing boat that has been blown up was attacked illegally. Ditto the murder of two boat survivors in September. So, where does the line get drawn?
I dunno. They didn't mind firing on helpless people in boats because they were Latinos? Not convinced about that. I mean, the Marines were deployed to L.A. Do we think they'd have balked if ordered to shoot white protesters?
As for Greenland, I'm pretty skeptical that the brass would refuse en masses to deploy.
I needed this today. Thank you. And that Charles McBryde video you posted about fascist entropy was super useful. We just keep going. I saw something today, “Their strategy is exhaustion. Our strategy is endurance.” -Ryan M. Berg
"Renee Good has now become a martyr to the cause, her service and ultimate sacrifice far more powerful in death than they were in her gentle and compassionate life."
This is a beautifully written tribute to both Renee Good, your points, and your stirring optimism.
Jay, thank you very much for this very strongly reasoned essay. There is so much here to be shared. I’m very grateful for your clear-eyed, well spoken work.
well, really, given Trump's reasoning for wanting Greenland (we need it for national security) and Venezuelan oil (it's ours), he should not have a problem with Putin wanting Alaska back - probably we cheated Russia back in 1867, and Russia needs Alaska for it's national security. Right??!!??
Let's keep on. Spain can take Florida, and France can get back the land covered by the Louisiana Purchase. With this latter one, Napoleon was desperate for cash and took a low price - $15M. I'm sure Macron will want to re-neogiate that, and gosh, doesn't our Cheeto Head love doing deals.
But you know, as write that, I think, he's always saying let's do a deal - but how many actual deals has he done? Just wunnerin'
Jusst like his notion that water released in N California would flow DOWN to S Cal, rather than to the ocean. That only works when the map is on the wall 😄 iDJT
Jay, we need to defend the 2026 midterms with everything we've got. Marc Elias reports daily on the lawfare being waged by the RNC and the weaponized DOJ. It is a serious threat. Here is what he said today.
I think you need to highlight these threats more in your posts, as well as how we can fight back.
Jay, I so appreciate you, and Marc, and all the others who are keeping us well informed. And I really appreciate the glimmers of hope you give us, too. Thank you. 🙏🏻
Last Wednesday, while sitting in the Oval Office, Donald Trump was reminded by a reporter that after the 2020 election, he had threatened “to use the National Guard to seize election boxes.” Without missing a beat, Trump responded, “Well, I should have.”
When asked whether that would “be an option,” Trump replied, “I don’t know that they are sophisticated enough. You know, they’re good warriors. I’m not sure that they’re sophisticated enough in the ways of crooked Democrats and the way they cheat, to figure that out.”
In that last answer, it is not entirely clear whether Trump was referring to the 2020 election or the upcoming midterms. Like many of his responses, the vagueness preserves both optionality and deniability.
As the question itself suggests, one thing is very clear: In 2020, Trump seriously considered using the military to interfere with vote counting. I suspect that timing ultimately prevented him from doing so.
By the time he considered the proposal during an Oval Office meeting on Dec. 18, 2020, it was already too late. The Electoral College had met four days earlier. Its members had cast their ballots and sent the results to the National Archives and to Congress, as required by law. The outcome was settled: Biden had won 306 electoral votes, and Trump had won 232.
It was simply too late for Trump to order the military to seize voting equipment and ballots. Appointing a loyalist as special counsel to investigate election officials who had certified Biden as the winner — which was the other option under consideration — would not have produced even bogus indictments in time.
By then, more than 50 courts had rejected the frivolous legal challenges brought by Trump and his allies. The judiciary, therefore, was unlikely to support last-minute efforts to overturn the election. The only remaining option, Trump likely concluded, was to incite a violent insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, in the hope of disrupting the congressional certification process on the date established by law.
The day after his Oval Office meeting, Trump posted on social media: “Statistically impossible to have lost the 2020 Election. Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there, will be wild!”
Unfortunately, the 2026 midterms will be easier for Trump to steal than the 2020 election.
To start, there is no Electoral College to contend with and no need to pressure state legislatures. In addition, Trump and his team are more experienced, more confident and more ruthless. Sadly, our election systems are weaker than ever, having suffered never-ending attacks from election deniers since 2020.
But most importantly, in 2020, government lawyers stood in the way of his plans. The attorney general and his senior deputies refused to go along with this scheme. As did the senior lawyers in Trump’s own White House Counsel’s Office.
In 2026, the government has been thoroughly compromised. Pam Bondi runs the Department of Justice as Trump’s private law firm. The White House is staffed from top to bottom with sycophants and enablers. Government lawyers — including federal prosecutors and FBI agents — would be among the most eager and capable government officials available to seize ballots and manufacture allegations of fraud. After all, that’s what they signed up for in this second administration.
The cards are already falling into place. Trump’s DOJ is attempting to compile a massive database of highly sensitive voting data on every American citizen who has ever registered to vote or cast a ballot. Where states have objected, the DOJ has sued.
This is not the first time Trump has made his intention to interfere with ballot counting clear. In August, Trump posted on social media that “the States are merely an ‘agent’ for the Federal Government in counting and tabulating the votes. They must do what the Federal Government, as represented by the President of the United States, tells them, FOR THE GOOD OF OUR COUNTRY, to do.”
Put simply, states must count and tabulate ballots as Trump instructs them to. If they do not, we should expect the Department of Justice and the FBI — perhaps aided by the military — to intervene “for the good of the country.”
While many states will fight back against the DOJ’s illegal demands, we should not expect every state to resist. Some Republican officials may simply agree to follow Trump’s directives, counting the ballots he favors and discarding those he does not.
The result will be litigation in virtually every state. In some places, we will need to defend the right of election officials to follow state law; in others, we will need to challenge the mass disenfranchisement of voters at Trump’s behest. Even worse, our opponents will not only be the Republican Party and its allies but the entire federal government — including the Department of Justice.
Another important caveat we must consider: in 2026, we will have these fights without the benefit of the nation’s largest law firms. When I helped lead the post-election litigation for Joe Biden in 2020, I was at a large law firm. Other large law firms contributed an army of lawyers.
Already, we are seeing large firms pull back from the fight for democracy. While my 60-lawyer firm is involved in every single case in which the DOJ is suing for sensitive voter data, not a single big law firm is by our side.
It is not just litigation that will be harder. So will be gaining and holding the public’s attention. Lawyers like me will rely on public attention and pressure to encourage state and local officials to stand with voters rather than the White House. We will need to stiffen the resolve of election officials who might otherwise be tempted to compromise voters’ rights to avoid direct confrontation with the administration.
Yet, this will be taking place in a media environment that is more fractured than ever. And one in which many legacy media outlets have, like large law firms, capitulated to the Trump regime. As a result, we will have to get our message out by relying on new, independent media outlets rather than legacy institutions.
Finally, we will need voters themselves to advocate for their rights. It is not enough for citizens to cast ballots; they must insist those votes are counted and that results are accurately certified. That may require becoming plaintiffs in lawsuits or speaking out publicly. But it begins with engagement and attention.
For months, I have insisted that we will have midterm elections. Donald Trump cannot cancel them. But I have also been clear that it remains an open question how free and fair they will be. Trump will do everything he can to lie about the elections and, if necessary, rig the outcomes.
That does not mean we are powerless. We have been here before — and we have won. If we stand together, we can do so again in 2026. Failure is not an option we can accept.
I’ve been thinking about (stressing over) this since Trump was re-elected.
Every voter must document their ballot like crazy: take a picture of your filled-in ballot; if voting in person, take a picture of the screen showing your ballot was recorded, take a picture or screen shot of any ballot-tracking services provided by your state; etc.
We must have ways to prove that we voted and who we voted for; if Trump/Musk/others get their hands on voting machines and/or access to raw vote-tabulation data/software, it’s going to be game over.
Some organization (I don’t know who this would be…At first I thought the DNC could lead an effort like this, but, of course not!) ..some organization, in coordination with all states that will participate, should invest as much as it takes to establish an independent, secure, electronic way for voters to independently upload “proof of voter registration and proof of a cast ballot w/who was voted for.
How hard can this be? We all do banking online, via apps, and utilize electronic deposits, transfers, etc. And no one would use these electronic means, banks included, if they were not secure.
We need to fight for free, fair, and unmolested elections, this year and in 2028 presidential election, no doubt about that.
But, IMO, it is imperative that we create methods and systems, outside and independent of any/all current vote counting processes, to ensure that we can prove our votes, after the fact. Without a shadow of a doubt. Especially in court, because that is 100% where any election is going to wind up.
I'm surprised RFK Jr is letting them stay open - their food is a threat to national health. Of course, I'm sure the reason is because Cheeto Head is addicted.
But maybe look for him to ban kids under 11 from eating there?
I thought today's piece was great. I loved the image of Trump's supporters "fanning out" to spread their narrative of events in Minnesota.
I do not consider it a coincidence that the Supreme Court ruled in late December that Trump could not use the National Guard until the US military option had been exhausted, which option in turn is limited by Posse Comitatus, and the subsequent explosive surge in ICE funding, recruitment, and activity. Trump absolutely has to have some form of military coercion to use going into the midterms in order to retain power, and this is the last card he has to play.
If they are so afraid of getting doxxed, and that's the reason for the masks, then perhaps not acting like barbarians would help their cause. Masks off!!
Many of the Jan 6th insurrectionists were identified by internet sleuths using photos and videos from their attack on the Capitol. They weren't doxxed, they were reported to law enforcement, indicted, prosecuted and convicted. And then pardoned and released from prison. And are now probably working for ICE.
I assume that's why ice Barbie has them wear masks, to prevent accountability.
I look forward to the day when he and all his inner circle are in handcuffs. Several of the tech billionaires should be right there with them on conspiracy charges to overthrow the US democracy. If that can even be a thing.
a few quick thoughts. What has happened to the drumbeat on the Epstein files? One way or another, trump (he owes ICE agent Jonathan Ross a thank you) has gotten us to think about other things. We need to get back to that.
With regard to the military - two points. Some Austrian representative also mentioned closing all American bases in Europe if trump goes after Greenland. Steven Miller wants isolationism? He'd have it in spades.
I read a thought in another substack (JVL at the Bulwark) where he said, in the next election, we'll inaugurate whoever the Army lets us. The military is now stacked with trump loyalists. I wouldn't put it past him to call them in. He has been priming the pump since he took office.
Hasn’t the child been left in the house long enough? All you Congress members who should be parenting this willful little man are off drinking with your friends and he is breaking things.
If you Congress members who are supposed to be parenting this willful man child don’t step up and start acting like grown ups this baby man will hurt you and your family and your family’s family.
You know, if you’ve watched any toddler experimenting with stuff, that they can burn down the house. It’s up to you to be the parent here. Your man baby is burning down the house. And you’re in it.
agree, but they haven't done it for years. They lost control when the Senate didn't vote to impeach him. now we have Tillis from NC calling him out - but he's retiring, so nobody listens to him.
Tillis has the power to block any Powell replacement. He is the 13th vote on the 13-11 Banking Committee.
Yes that’s true, Jay. I don’t think he is useless - he can do real harm to Trump with that. And I hope he does.
What I was getting at was how, now that he is retiring, he seems to have developed a backbone of sorts and is willing to buck Trump. He’s had all kinds of “fiery speeches” on the Senate floor. But where has be been up till now?
I blame him directly for Hegseth’s confirmation as SecDef. He said he was a No. Next day - (after some Trump pressure and threats) he “saw his way to Yes”. Had he held, Hegseth would have gone down, and I believe it might have created a structure for other R’s to vote down at least a couple of the other cabinet officers - maybe Kennedy voting no on RFK.
And by the way, I am from NC, Tillis is one of my senators, so I’ve kept tabs on him.
Hey Jay!!! We need an R & R photo fix!!! 🥰
I'm in NC too. Tillis is far more frustrating than Budd - I know Budd will never break with MAGA so there is no point in getting my hopes up.
But I think Tillis could have made the decision to retire earlier in 2025 and really saved us from some of Trumps god-awful nominees like Hegseth.
completely agree, Cheryl. I don't bother with Budd any more either, he is hard core. Just hoping and praying Cooper wins the senate seat.
His schedule for the day includes “signing time.” Sounds like day care.
Well, we know it includes “nap time,” usually during meetings.
He's probably firing up the autopen.
Unfortunately, its very difficult to find the "responsible adults in the room.:
Or even in the state!!!
There ARE no adults. They've all been let into the candy store, and they're too busy running amok and stuffing their own pockets to "parent" the toddler in chief.
We need to take Grandpa's keys away NOW.
Especially the keys to the nuclear arsenal.
How about Grandpas as in older members of Congress. Except Bernie. Time for them to go. And wimpy Dems.
Yes!!! Take those keys for sure!!!!⭐️👍
Amen
In Trump 1.0 at least there were the occasional reassurances that there were still adults in the room when the man child had his tantrums. In 2.0 there are zero adults in the room. It’s all an unsupervised daycare.
Agree!! Dawn, the Senate republicans has much to answer for. And yes the Signing Time is likely “nap” time. 😂😂
Good analogy.
trump and DOJ already are setting the table for major disruption of November's mid-terms, musing just recently how he "regrets" not seizing voting machines in key precincts following the 2020 election counts. Well, he'll have no compunctions THIS cycle of perpetrating major interference, and I can see roving teams of ICE/CBP goons invading election offices in Blue/Purple states to grab machines, shouting "Fraud!" as they terrorize election workers. That is, unless Dem Governors have their National Guard commandants on speed-dial, ready to suppress lawless actions by the feds.
trump is still a long way away from bowing to institutional restraints, and quite honestly, force MUST be met by force, it's all this POS understands.
I have no doubt that Dem governors have put their respective National Guard on notice as MN Governor has already stated publicly. I'm sure the commanding officers are on speed dial now and for the foreseeable future.
I agree, and to further your point - he has stacked the military with his loyalists, and they've trashed the 6 reps who simply reminded the military that the law says they don't have to obey illegal orders. Look at what they are doing to Sen Kelly - one of the most accomplished military members in the history of the country.
When trump waves at the military and tells them to block voting, seize voting machines, cancel protest and voter rallies, they will do it without a second thought.
Military brass just said 'no way' to planning for a Greenland invasion.
OK, gonna go look for that!! And this is a pentagon filled with trump toadies. Maybe there is hope yet.
See here https://open.substack.com/pub/deanblundell/p/breaking-trumps-top-military-commanders?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&shareImageVariant=overlay&r=1985n
Thanks!
Say more, please. This is news to me.
I read it here https://open.substack.com/pub/deanblundell/p/breaking-trumps-top-military-commanders?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&shareImageVariant=overlay&r=1985n
Actually, the law say they “MUST NOT”obey illegal orders, NOT “do not have to.”
Bravo
I agree, Lance. We saw all the GOP dirty election tricks in 2024. We saw Elon buy votes.
Many of us suspect that Elon's hacker posse also pulled some dirty tricks.
Suppose the handlers have tRump invoke the Insurrection Act? He's already mentioned it, which is his perennial M.O.: just float an idea "jokingly," and a couple months later, BOOM! He does it for real.
As for the courts, sure, they might rule against him eventually, but after it's a fait accompli, who's gonna throw him out?
The military leaders see what is happening. As long as they side with the Constitution, we are fine. If they go full MAGA, we are lost. I still think they will not follow illegal orders. They know there had been no insurrection
They've already followed dozens of illegal orders. It was illegal to kidnap Maduro, killing over 70 people in the process. Every fishing boat that has been blown up was attacked illegally. Ditto the murder of two boat survivors in September. So, where does the line get drawn?
I may be overly optimistic, but I believe they draw the line at firing on white citizens. And maybe at invading Greenland.
I dunno. They didn't mind firing on helpless people in boats because they were Latinos? Not convinced about that. I mean, the Marines were deployed to L.A. Do we think they'd have balked if ordered to shoot white protesters?
As for Greenland, I'm pretty skeptical that the brass would refuse en masses to deploy.
I hope you are wrong, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
Too many offices, too many states for this t work, I believe. But, I don't think we should wait that long ...
I needed this today. Thank you. And that Charles McBryde video you posted about fascist entropy was super useful. We just keep going. I saw something today, “Their strategy is exhaustion. Our strategy is endurance.” -Ryan M. Berg
We can take inspiration from those still enduring in Ukraine! At least we still have heat and electricity. Slava Ukraine!
"Renee Good has now become a martyr to the cause, her service and ultimate sacrifice far more powerful in death than they were in her gentle and compassionate life."
This is a beautifully written tribute to both Renee Good, your points, and your stirring optimism.
Bravo.
RELEASE THE EPSTEIN/PUTIN FILES!
we can't let this die!!!
Jay, thank you very much for this very strongly reasoned essay. There is so much here to be shared. I’m very grateful for your clear-eyed, well spoken work.
So, Trump says we shouldn’t have Russia as a neighbor (in Greenland). How is he going to explain that to Sarah, who can see Russia from her back yard?
well, really, given Trump's reasoning for wanting Greenland (we need it for national security) and Venezuelan oil (it's ours), he should not have a problem with Putin wanting Alaska back - probably we cheated Russia back in 1867, and Russia needs Alaska for it's national security. Right??!!??
Mexico could claim our Southwest as well.
Let's keep on. Spain can take Florida, and France can get back the land covered by the Louisiana Purchase. With this latter one, Napoleon was desperate for cash and took a low price - $15M. I'm sure Macron will want to re-neogiate that, and gosh, doesn't our Cheeto Head love doing deals.
But you know, as write that, I think, he's always saying let's do a deal - but how many actual deals has he done? Just wunnerin'
That’s exactly what I said!
"And we’re not going to have Russia or China as a neighbor."
Who's going to tell the dotard that Greenland is ~3,000 miles from the US while Russia is about 55?
I expect he looks at a flat map and sees Russia way off to the east. He doesn’t realize the earth is round.
Jusst like his notion that water released in N California would flow DOWN to S Cal, rather than to the ocean. That only works when the map is on the wall 😄 iDJT
😂
Well, his head is flat.
🤣😂
I was quite surprised to hear that Jerome Powell's "crime" wasn't mortgage fraud. These people are so pathetic in their inability to appear serious.
Of course they're still going with the "they tried to run over ICE agents" as the excuse for every act of violence from the masked monsters of MAGA.
It’s testimony just like Comey. Very weak sauce
Jay, we need to defend the 2026 midterms with everything we've got. Marc Elias reports daily on the lawfare being waged by the RNC and the weaponized DOJ. It is a serious threat. Here is what he said today.
I think you need to highlight these threats more in your posts, as well as how we can fight back.
https://newsletters.democracydocket.com/-trump-wishes-he-seized-ballots-in-2020.-what-does-that-mean-for-2026
I read Elias daily and am raising the alarms I believe are actionable
Jay, I so appreciate you, and Marc, and all the others who are keeping us well informed. And I really appreciate the glimmers of hope you give us, too. Thank you. 🙏🏻
Marc Elias, Democracy Docket
January 12, 2026
Last Wednesday, while sitting in the Oval Office, Donald Trump was reminded by a reporter that after the 2020 election, he had threatened “to use the National Guard to seize election boxes.” Without missing a beat, Trump responded, “Well, I should have.”
When asked whether that would “be an option,” Trump replied, “I don’t know that they are sophisticated enough. You know, they’re good warriors. I’m not sure that they’re sophisticated enough in the ways of crooked Democrats and the way they cheat, to figure that out.”
In that last answer, it is not entirely clear whether Trump was referring to the 2020 election or the upcoming midterms. Like many of his responses, the vagueness preserves both optionality and deniability.
As the question itself suggests, one thing is very clear: In 2020, Trump seriously considered using the military to interfere with vote counting. I suspect that timing ultimately prevented him from doing so.
By the time he considered the proposal during an Oval Office meeting on Dec. 18, 2020, it was already too late. The Electoral College had met four days earlier. Its members had cast their ballots and sent the results to the National Archives and to Congress, as required by law. The outcome was settled: Biden had won 306 electoral votes, and Trump had won 232.
It was simply too late for Trump to order the military to seize voting equipment and ballots. Appointing a loyalist as special counsel to investigate election officials who had certified Biden as the winner — which was the other option under consideration — would not have produced even bogus indictments in time.
By then, more than 50 courts had rejected the frivolous legal challenges brought by Trump and his allies. The judiciary, therefore, was unlikely to support last-minute efforts to overturn the election. The only remaining option, Trump likely concluded, was to incite a violent insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, in the hope of disrupting the congressional certification process on the date established by law.
The day after his Oval Office meeting, Trump posted on social media: “Statistically impossible to have lost the 2020 Election. Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there, will be wild!”
Unfortunately, the 2026 midterms will be easier for Trump to steal than the 2020 election.
To start, there is no Electoral College to contend with and no need to pressure state legislatures. In addition, Trump and his team are more experienced, more confident and more ruthless. Sadly, our election systems are weaker than ever, having suffered never-ending attacks from election deniers since 2020.
But most importantly, in 2020, government lawyers stood in the way of his plans. The attorney general and his senior deputies refused to go along with this scheme. As did the senior lawyers in Trump’s own White House Counsel’s Office.
In 2026, the government has been thoroughly compromised. Pam Bondi runs the Department of Justice as Trump’s private law firm. The White House is staffed from top to bottom with sycophants and enablers. Government lawyers — including federal prosecutors and FBI agents — would be among the most eager and capable government officials available to seize ballots and manufacture allegations of fraud. After all, that’s what they signed up for in this second administration.
The cards are already falling into place. Trump’s DOJ is attempting to compile a massive database of highly sensitive voting data on every American citizen who has ever registered to vote or cast a ballot. Where states have objected, the DOJ has sued.
This is not the first time Trump has made his intention to interfere with ballot counting clear. In August, Trump posted on social media that “the States are merely an ‘agent’ for the Federal Government in counting and tabulating the votes. They must do what the Federal Government, as represented by the President of the United States, tells them, FOR THE GOOD OF OUR COUNTRY, to do.”
Put simply, states must count and tabulate ballots as Trump instructs them to. If they do not, we should expect the Department of Justice and the FBI — perhaps aided by the military — to intervene “for the good of the country.”
While many states will fight back against the DOJ’s illegal demands, we should not expect every state to resist. Some Republican officials may simply agree to follow Trump’s directives, counting the ballots he favors and discarding those he does not.
The result will be litigation in virtually every state. In some places, we will need to defend the right of election officials to follow state law; in others, we will need to challenge the mass disenfranchisement of voters at Trump’s behest. Even worse, our opponents will not only be the Republican Party and its allies but the entire federal government — including the Department of Justice.
Another important caveat we must consider: in 2026, we will have these fights without the benefit of the nation’s largest law firms. When I helped lead the post-election litigation for Joe Biden in 2020, I was at a large law firm. Other large law firms contributed an army of lawyers.
Already, we are seeing large firms pull back from the fight for democracy. While my 60-lawyer firm is involved in every single case in which the DOJ is suing for sensitive voter data, not a single big law firm is by our side.
It is not just litigation that will be harder. So will be gaining and holding the public’s attention. Lawyers like me will rely on public attention and pressure to encourage state and local officials to stand with voters rather than the White House. We will need to stiffen the resolve of election officials who might otherwise be tempted to compromise voters’ rights to avoid direct confrontation with the administration.
Yet, this will be taking place in a media environment that is more fractured than ever. And one in which many legacy media outlets have, like large law firms, capitulated to the Trump regime. As a result, we will have to get our message out by relying on new, independent media outlets rather than legacy institutions.
Finally, we will need voters themselves to advocate for their rights. It is not enough for citizens to cast ballots; they must insist those votes are counted and that results are accurately certified. That may require becoming plaintiffs in lawsuits or speaking out publicly. But it begins with engagement and attention.
For months, I have insisted that we will have midterm elections. Donald Trump cannot cancel them. But I have also been clear that it remains an open question how free and fair they will be. Trump will do everything he can to lie about the elections and, if necessary, rig the outcomes.
That does not mean we are powerless. We have been here before — and we have won. If we stand together, we can do so again in 2026. Failure is not an option we can accept.
I’ve been thinking about (stressing over) this since Trump was re-elected.
Every voter must document their ballot like crazy: take a picture of your filled-in ballot; if voting in person, take a picture of the screen showing your ballot was recorded, take a picture or screen shot of any ballot-tracking services provided by your state; etc.
We must have ways to prove that we voted and who we voted for; if Trump/Musk/others get their hands on voting machines and/or access to raw vote-tabulation data/software, it’s going to be game over.
Some organization (I don’t know who this would be…At first I thought the DNC could lead an effort like this, but, of course not!) ..some organization, in coordination with all states that will participate, should invest as much as it takes to establish an independent, secure, electronic way for voters to independently upload “proof of voter registration and proof of a cast ballot w/who was voted for.
How hard can this be? We all do banking online, via apps, and utilize electronic deposits, transfers, etc. And no one would use these electronic means, banks included, if they were not secure.
We need to fight for free, fair, and unmolested elections, this year and in 2028 presidential election, no doubt about that.
But, IMO, it is imperative that we create methods and systems, outside and independent of any/all current vote counting processes, to ensure that we can prove our votes, after the fact. Without a shadow of a doubt. Especially in court, because that is 100% where any election is going to wind up.
"Donald Trump cannot cancel them."
What about the Insurrection Act?
Thanks so much for this post, Jay! It's doing a lot to calm me down, and I needed calming down!
Same.
I vote for "storming McDonald's".
I know she’s far to the right so I’d never agree with her politics, but I rather like Meloni.
She's got a sense of humor - I'll giver her that. "Storming McDonalds" was priceless.
I'm surprised RFK Jr is letting them stay open - their food is a threat to national health. Of course, I'm sure the reason is because Cheeto Head is addicted.
But maybe look for him to ban kids under 11 from eating there?
I thought today's piece was great. I loved the image of Trump's supporters "fanning out" to spread their narrative of events in Minnesota.
I do not consider it a coincidence that the Supreme Court ruled in late December that Trump could not use the National Guard until the US military option had been exhausted, which option in turn is limited by Posse Comitatus, and the subsequent explosive surge in ICE funding, recruitment, and activity. Trump absolutely has to have some form of military coercion to use going into the midterms in order to retain power, and this is the last card he has to play.
If they are so afraid of getting doxxed, and that's the reason for the masks, then perhaps not acting like barbarians would help their cause. Masks off!!
Many of the Jan 6th insurrectionists were identified by internet sleuths using photos and videos from their attack on the Capitol. They weren't doxxed, they were reported to law enforcement, indicted, prosecuted and convicted. And then pardoned and released from prison. And are now probably working for ICE.
I assume that's why ice Barbie has them wear masks, to prevent accountability.
That makes sense. I feel that with the current recklessness of ignoring laws, she wouldn't find that a problem though.
I look forward to the day when he and all his inner circle are in handcuffs. Several of the tech billionaires should be right there with them on conspiracy charges to overthrow the US democracy. If that can even be a thing.
a few quick thoughts. What has happened to the drumbeat on the Epstein files? One way or another, trump (he owes ICE agent Jonathan Ross a thank you) has gotten us to think about other things. We need to get back to that.
With regard to the military - two points. Some Austrian representative also mentioned closing all American bases in Europe if trump goes after Greenland. Steven Miller wants isolationism? He'd have it in spades.
I read a thought in another substack (JVL at the Bulwark) where he said, in the next election, we'll inaugurate whoever the Army lets us. The military is now stacked with trump loyalists. I wouldn't put it past him to call them in. He has been priming the pump since he took office.
The next move is Congress. They are seeking oversight by a judge