No More Midterms
How Would the Midterms Be Canceled?
On January 15, 2025, President Trump joked about canceling elections. The White House called it a joke. Eleven months later, armed National Guard troops stand outside Georgia polling stations. Here’s how we got there.
The following scenario tracks a subversion of the midterm elections through hypothetical news article excerpts each month leading up to November.
HOUSE - State of Play Today: GOP: 218, DEM: 213, VACANT: 4. Republicans’ five-seat edge has been bolstered by recent gerrymandering in Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina. Democrats have since begun retaliatory gerrymandering initiatives.
SENATE - State of Play Today: GOP: 53, DEM: 45, IND: 2. Democrats’ path to a majority requires holding Georgia, where Jon Ossoff faces reelection in a state Trump won by 2.2 points.
THE HEADLINES IN JANUARY ARE REAL AND LINKED TO THEIR SOURCE. FOLLOWING JANUARY, ALL HEADLINES ARE HYPOTHETICAL.
January -
TIME MAGAZINE: “I won’t say cancel the election, they should cancel the election, because the fake news would say, ‘He wants the elections canceled. He’s a dictator.’ They always call me a dictator,” [The President] claimed… When asked about the comments on Thursday evening, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt brushed off the remarks, telling reporters the President was “simply joking.”
MSN News: President Donald Trump opened his Tuesday speech at the Detroit Economic Club with his regular claims of election fraud… Trump made the head-scratching claim that the 2024 U.S. Senate race in the state was rigged – despite Trump himself winning on the very same ballot. Trump opened his remarks by claiming he won Michigan in 2020, a constant claim that various audits and court cases have roundly dismissed. Trump then began introducing his fellow Republicans in the room and name-checked 2024 senate candidate Mike Rogers. “I’ll be honest with you, Mike. They rigged the election on you. Mine was too big to rig. You won, I’m telling you, you won, but you’re going to do great this time.”
Associated Press News Wire: ALBANY, N.Y. — Republicans on Monday appealed a judge’s decision to throw out the lines of New York City’s only GOP-controlled House seat, a case that could have national reverberations in the fight for control of Congress… The judge ordered the state’s Independent Redistricting Commission to complete a new map by Feb. 6.
MSN News: The Virginia state Senate passed a constitutional amendment Friday to pave the way for a mid-decade redistricting push, the final legislative step needed to send it to voters for approval. If voters support the amendment, which is expected to appear on the ballot this spring, Virginia’s Democratic-controlled Legislature would be able to redraw the state’s congressional map before the midterm elections.
Reuters News Wire: WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump’s administration said on Thursday it was creating a new division at the U.S. Department of Justice to combat what the White House called “rampant” fraud across the country. Rights advocates and critics have said the Trump administration has used fraud allegations as an excuse to target immigrants and political opponents.
The Guardian: Experts warn of threat to democracy from ‘AI bot swarms’ infesting social media Misinformation technology could be deployed at scale to disrupt 2028 US presidential election, AI researchers say. Political leaders could soon launch swarms of human-imitating AI agents to reshape public opinion in a way that threatens to undermine democracy, a high profile group of experts in AI and online misinformation has warned.
New York Times: F.B.I. agents executed a search warrant on Wednesday for an election center in Fulton County, Ga., a significant escalation of the administration’s efforts to investigate a jurisdiction that President Trump has continued to criticize over his 2020 defeat in the state. The warrant “sought a number of records related to 2020 elections,” according to a statement from a Fulton County spokeswoman.
Everything beyond this point is hypothetical.
February -
Reuters News Wire: WASHINGTON - Department of Justice announced in a press release the establishment of the Division for National Fraud Enforcement. “The DOJ’s new Division for National Fraud Enforcement will enforce the federal criminal and civil laws against fraud targeting federal government programs, federally funded benefits, businesses, nonprofits and private citizens nationwide,” the White House said in a statement. The White House did not provide further specifics on the types of fraud the new division would monitor.
March -
Associated Press News Wire: ALBANY - After surviving an appeal by New York Republicans in March, New York’s state legislature has passed a new congressional map, expected to be signed into law by New York governor Kathy Hochul this afternoon. The new map is the latest foray in the redistricting wars ahead of the midterm elections. Denounced by Republicans as illegal partisan gerrymandering, Democrats say their hands were tied, blaming the Trump administration for kicking off redistricting tit-for-tat. Democrats now look to Virginia’s redistricting referendum in April, which would open the door to gain additional seats.
Politico: Pressed by reporters on the expansive scope of the administration’s newly formed Division for National Fraud Enforcement, Mr. Trump reiterated its powers as little more than routine oversight. “We’re making sure everything’s fair, like it should be,” the President said, waving off concerns about overreach. “We’re here to help, not to take over. We’ve got great people looking into tips, historical stuff - nothing more. The states are doing a fantastic job, but if they need us, we’re there.”
April -
Reuters News Wire: WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court finds in favor of Callais in Louisiana v. Callais. Louisiana’s intentional creation of a second majority-Black district is unconstitutional.
Truth Social Post: BIG WIN FOR AMERICA AT THE SUPREME COURT TODAY! We just DESTROYED the Radical Left Democrats’ sneaky plan to RIG the Congressional Maps with their phony “Voting Rights” nonsense in Louisiana v. Callais! The WEAK, CORRUPT map they tried to force—creating extra black districts just to STEAL seats from strong AMERICANS—was NOTHING but illegal RACIAL GERRYMANDERING! This is a HUGE VICTORY for FAIR REDISTRICTING! Louisiana Republicans, you’re WELCOME—now go WIN BIG in those fair districts! I LOVE MY BLACK VOTERS. The Fake News Media won’t report this, but WE THE PEOPLE know the truth!
New York Times: The Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais to strike down the state’s redrawn congressional map—effectively dismantling a second majority-Black district—marks yet another erosion of the Voting Rights Act’s legacy. Handed down by a conservative majority that has grown increasingly skeptical of race-conscious remedies for entrenched inequities, the ruling dilutes minority voices in a state where African Americans comprise nearly a third of the population. Republicans stand to net a house seat from the ruling, while also granting Republicans a new Casus Belli in the ongoing redistricting wars, arguing all districts were drawn with racial intentions and are therefore fair play for re-drawing.
Politico: The national redistricting race has escalated as the Florida State Senate begins studying new congressional district maps on the heels of the Louisiana v. Callais decision. Adopting a new map this spring gives likely legal challenges less time to wind through the courts. Politically, congressional candidates have less time to campaign in their newly redrawn districts — a sprint likely to benefit Republicans, who are better funded and better organized in the state.
Reuters News Wire: WASHINGTON - Opening arguments have begun in the Supreme Court for Watson v. Republican National Committee. The case will determine whether mail-in ballots that are postmarked by, but arrive after Election Day will be counted as legitimate votes. A decision is expected in mid-summer.
Politico: In a referendum highly criticized as partisan and illegal by Republicans, Virginian voters have voted in favor of a referendum allowing for a pre-midterm re-districting. Democratic lawmakers have said that the new maps could shift the balance of the state’s congressional seats to 10–1 in favor of Democrats.
May -
Associated Press News Wire: TALLAHASEE - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signs a new Congressional Districting Map passed by the state legislature. Republicans could gain a full five seats in the House through Florida’s redistricting.
June -
Politico: The Department of Justice’s Division for National Fraud Enforcement, created to combat general fraud across the country, announced surprise preliminary findings Thursday from what it said have been ongoing investigations into election irregularities. The DOJ highlighted what officials described as “significant discrepancies” in voter data across several battleground states. “This is about safeguarding the sanctity of the vote,” said US Attorney General Pam Bondi in a statement. “Our collaboration with Georgia’s integrity unit underscores the administration’s commitment to rooting out vulnerabilities that could undermine public confidence in the 2026 midterms.” Critics point out that similar audits in the past have yielded minimal evidence of widespread fraud.
New York Times: WASHINGTON — As World Cup games kick-off in Atlanta, President Donald J. Trump on Friday escalated his warnings about election integrity, claiming that thousands of undocumented immigrants attending the FIFA World Cup could overstay their visas and cast fraudulent votes in the upcoming midterms. Speaking at a rally in Miami, one of the tournament’s host cities, Mr. Trump referenced preliminary data from the Justice Department’s Division for National Fraud Enforcement, asserting that the influx of international visitors has created a “perfect storm” for voter fraud in urban centers like Atlanta. Immigration experts and Democrats dismissed the claims as baseless fearmongering, pointing out that noncitizens are barred from voting and that federal law requires proof of citizenship for registration in most states.
July -
New York Times: ANKARA — In a fiery address at the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey on Wednesday, President Donald J. Trump pivoted from discussions on alliance defense spending and Russian aggression to a blistering critique of what he termed “domestic security threats” eroding American democracy. Framing election fraud as a peril on par with international adversaries, Mr. Trump called for urgent congressional action to fortify the nation’s voting systems, including expanding the powers of his administration’s Division for National Fraud Enforcement and imposing nationwide voter ID requirements.
Reuters News Wire: WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court finds in favor of the Republican National Committee in Watson v. Republican National Committee. In a serious blow for the Democratic coalition which often relies on flexible voting windows, mail-in ballots that are postmarked by, but arrive after Election Day will not be counted as legitimate votes.
Truth Social Post: ON AMERICA’s 250TH BIRTHDAY, WE HAVE SAVED THE COUNTRY. HUGE Supreme Court VICTORY Today—We CRUSHED the Radical Left Democrats’ Pathetic Effort to PROTECT Their Massive Mail-In Voter FRAUD Schemes! This is a TOTAL MANDATE from the HIGHEST Court: We’ve Finally Addressed the Phony Ballots and Rigged Drop Boxes that STOLE 2020, but NOW It’s Time to Go After the FRAUD from Illegal Criminals Pouring Over Our Borders and Stuffing the Lines in Key States! It’s HAPPENING in Georgia and Michigan! STOP It Cold! The Fake News Hates This, But It’s AMERICA FIRST All the Way—Secure Our Elections or LOSE Our Country! Patriots, Get READY!
Politico: WASHINGTON - In a fiery Truth Social Post late last night marking the nation’s semiquincentennial on July 4, President Donald J. Trump hailed a recent Supreme Court decision restricting certain mail-in ballot practices as a “huge victory” against what he called Democrat-led fraud schemes. But in a notable pivot, Mr. Trump quickly turned his attention to unsubstantiated allegations of in-person voting irregularities, blaming “illegal criminals pouring over our borders” for potential disruptions in battleground states like Georgia and Michigan. While recently President Trump has railed for the expansion of Division for National Fraud Enforcement powers, his post seemed to allude to a more heavy-handed approach towards in-person voting procedure.
August -
Reuters News Wire: WASHINGTON – The deadline for new congressional maps having passed, Republicans enter the midterms with a decisive systemic advantage in the House. Despite Democrats’ efforts to fight fire with fire, new Republican delegates from Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Missouri and North Carolina significantly outweigh similar Democratic efforts in New York and Virginia.
FOX NEWS: Stephen Miller clashed with MSNBC reporters who appeared to accost the Deputy Chief of Staff as he strolled across the White House Lawn Monday afternoon. “Genuinely,” he fired back when pressed on the administration’s recent comments on November’s midterms, “could you tell me what’s going on in Georgia? There has been so much fraud there over the past several election cycles. We’re just trying to break the cycle here. Aren’t you liberals? Don’t you want fair and free elections?” Miller’s comments follow reports of a leftist PAC’s plan to bus illegal immigrants to Georgia polls electrifying social media over the weekend.
September -
Politico: The President on Wednesday repeated claims that fraudulent in-person votes were planned in November’s midterm elections. When pressed for a source on the fraud, the president deferred to classified findings by the DOJ’s Division for National Fraud Enforcement. “You know, we won big, we won big in the Supreme Court”, the President said, referring to July’s Watson v. Republican National Committee victory. “And the radical left still is trying to rig the election, even though they were exposed by the court. They’re going to send illegals to the polls. They hate America, they do. They’re frauds. So we’re looking into it. We’ll get to the bottom of it.”
Associated Press News Wire: Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, in rare public break with President, states he sees ‘no evidence of systematic fraud’ in state voter rolls. Trump responded on Truth Social calling the governor “Weak” and suggesting primary challenge. Three other Republican governors quietly distance themselves from DOJ fraud claims.
New York Times: Democrat politicians have become increasingly vocal in urging voters to be skeptical towards the high volumes of MAGA posts appearing across X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. “This is most likely a domestic actor because of the specificity of most of the targeting” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in an interview with the Times. “They include a lot of hashtags, but those hashtags are not necessarily the ones people use. Like when you ask ChatGPT to write you a tweet and it will include made-up hashtags.”
October -
Reuters News Wire: Georgia Secretary of State announces emergency voter roll purge of 340,000 registrations flagged by DOJ’s Division for National Fraud Enforcement. ACLU files emergency injunction.
Truth Social Post: The Fake News Media and the Radical Left Democrats are at it AGAIN, trying to STEAL the Georgia Senate Race right under our noses! That weak, do-nothing Jon Ossoff—you know, the left-wing “journalist” who’s really just a PUPPET for the Socialist Agenda—is DESPERATE to hold onto his seat with all their usual tricks: phony IN-PERSON Votes! We saw it in 2020, and they’re gearing up for a REPEAT in 2026. We NEED the National Guard DEPLOYED outside EVERY SINGLE Polling Station in Georgia—STRONG, TOUGH Soldiers and PATRIOTS to watch every move, STOP the Cheating, and PROTECT the Sacred Votes of REAL Americans! No more Stolen Elections! Ossoff and his Democrat Cronies like Kamala and the Squad are pushing their EXTREME Policies: Open Borders, Sky-High Taxes, and Defunding the Police—they’ll do ANYTHING to win, including FRAUD! But we’re not letting them get away with it THIS TIME. This Race is CRUCIAL for taking back the Senate and SAVING America from their DISASTER. Strong Security or BUST! Make Elections Great Again! #StopTheSteal #MAGA #GeorgiaStrong
Excerpt from White House DOJ Press Release: WASHINGTON - The measures taken by law enforcement agencies in cooperation with federal fraud prevention teams and election commissions will help prevent any potential breaches of election integrity. Georgia National Guard Troops will assist state election committee member monitoring high-risk polling locations.
Politico: ATLANTA — With just days remaining before the midterm elections, President Donald J. Trump took to Truth Social on Sunday to demand the deployment of National Guard troops outside every polling station in Georgia, accusing Democrats of plotting to steal the Senate race through in person voting manipulation. Democratic leaders swiftly condemned the suggestion as a dangerous escalation that could deter voters, particularly in minority communities. “This is not about security; it’s about intimidation,” said Stacey Abrams, the former gubernatorial candidate and voting rights advocate. “Deploying armed troops at polls evokes the darkest chapters of our history and has no place in a democracy.” Civil rights groups compared the administration’s National Guard deployment to the polls to Russian and Eastern European authoritarian practices.
November -
Truth Social Post: THE FAKE NEWS AND CROOKED DEMOCRATS ARE PANICKING IN GEORGIA—THEY KNOW THEY’RE ABOUT TO GET CRUSHED! Our AMAZING Division for National Fraud Enforcement JUST RELEASED BOMBSHELL DATA: Over 50,000 SUSPICIOUS Registrations in Fulton County ALONE, Tied to ILLEGALS and DEAD VOTERS Stuffing the Rolls! This is the SAME CHEATING that STOLE 2020, but BIGGER—Pathetic Jon Ossoff and his Radical Puppet Masters like Stacey “The Steal” Abrams are DESPERATE to HOLD ON with Their FRAUD MACHINE! We’re NOT Letting These LOWLIFES Get Away with It AGAIN! The Democratic Party “Constituency” is made up of HAMAS TERRORISTS, ILLEGAL ALIENS, and VIOLENT CRIMINALS. DEPLOY the NATIONAL GUARD to EVERY Polling Place in Georgia NOW—ARMED, READY, and WATCHING EVERY MOVE to STOP the Steal Cold! Governor Kemp, DO YOUR JOB or STEP ASIDE! This is WAR on Our Elections—We WILL WIN and MAKE GEORGIA GREAT AGAIN! Patriots, RISE UP! Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J TRUMP
New York Times: ATLANTA — As midterm elections loom just days away, heavily armed National Guard troops have begun stationing themselves outside polling stations in key Georgia counties, a direct response to President Donald J. Trump’s weekend Truth Social tirade demanding military presence to combat what he baselessly called Democratic efforts to “steal” the Senate race through fraudulent in-person votes. The deployments, authorized by Governor Brian Kemp under pressure from the White House, have transformed once-routine voting sites into fortified zones, with soldiers in tactical gear patrolling entrances and scrutinizing voters, raising alarms of widespread intimidation and echoes of historical voter suppression. It is unclear how many voters, intimidated by the National Guard presence, will opt to stay home.
Reuters News Wire: ATLANTA - Chaos in Georgia as protesters clash with National Guard at polling stations across the state. THIS STORY IS BREAKING NEWS: FOLLOW FOR UPDATES
Associated Press News Wire: WASHINGTON - Polls have begun to close across the country as states tally up midterm results. Democratic politicians have rushed to social media, calling today’s events in Georgia “completely unacceptable” and “unequivocally authoritarian.” The Trump administration is yet to directly acknowledge the mass demonstrations and civil unrest across the state.
Associated Press News Wire: Early reports from Atlanta suggest turnout in majority-Black precincts dropped by over 40% compared to 2024.
Politico: The President on Air Force One, flying back to Washington DC from a last-minute rally in Michigan for senatorial candidate Mike Rogers, was elated by Republicans’ unprecedented midterm victory. “It was historic, we’ll be keeping the Senate and the House. Nobody’s been able to do that, in the midterms before, really. We did so well in this election. We really did. It makes you wonder, you know, why we have term limits for the president.” Karoline Leavitt, spokeswoman for the President insisted to reports that the president was “simply joking”.
Three weeks later, Senator Jon Ossoff conceded Georgia’s Senate race. Republicans retained control of both chambers. President Trump’s approval rating hit 51%.