Post #4040226

2026-07-23 15:57 UTC

Trump has repeatedly and explicitly told the public that he intends to interfere with the US legislative elections in November, and a lot of reactions have taken the form of “well he can’t so it’s not a problem.” As in, “Trump lacks the legal authority and anyway he has struggled to occupy and pacify even a single US city so he’ll probably fail at this too.” And I cannot emphasize enough that he’ll still try, and still has a non-zero chance of succeeding, and still can do a lot of harm in trying, and still will require effort to thwart.

Replies (6)

@HeavenlyPossum@kolektiva.social 2026-07-23 15:58

It’s a bit like observing Hitler in 1939, assessing that he cannot even defeat the Soviet Union much less conquer the world, and concluding that he’s nothing to worry about.

Open ##4043533
@aud@fire.asta.lgbt 2026-07-23 15:59

@HeavenlyPossum@kolektiva.social It's such a "la la la I can't hear you" finger in ear response. Trump lacks the legal authority to do basically goddamn everything he's done since he took office and yet he has done it! fucking wild ass "that's illegal so it won't happen" motherfu-

Open ##4045247
@agreeable_landfall@mastodon.social 2026-07-24 17:03

@HeavenlyPossum@kolektiva.social @SteveBellovin@infosec.exchange One thing we know he'll do is use Federal Agents to seize ballot boxes. They've already practiced. Even if that's all they do, they then get to explain that the election was not run "securely", since the ballots were not protected. All they need to do is spread doubt. Even a failure will do that.

Open ##4068365
@sidereal@kolektiva.social 2026-07-23 15:58

@HeavenlyPossum@kolektiva.social It's gotten to the point where whenever anyone is like "Trump can't/won't do that" I'm like OK, so that's what Trump is going to do next.

Open ##4102975
@paculino@tech.lgbt 2026-07-23 16:03

@HeavenlyPossum@kolektiva.social And the MAGA folks were already standing right outside at least the polling locations near me without major/explicit encouragement, so with more encouragement it could get really bad.

Open ##4137058
@richpuchalsky@mastodon.social 2026-07-23 16:36

@HeavenlyPossum@kolektiva.social I hope that Trump destroys the expectation of the vast middle of America that the elections are fair, just as he has destroyed so much else that lets America continue as it is. He may require effort to thwart, but I hope that any anarchist who works to do so decides to do in some more important sphere than the elections that sustain the empire.

Open ##4137059