As the 2024 presidential election approaches, Independent U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has issued a stark warning: former President Donald Trump is once again laying the groundwork for widespread election denial. Sanders argues that Trump’s recent actions and rhetoric are not merely random outbursts but are part of a calculated strategy to undermine the electoral process, especially if he loses to Vice President Kamala Harris in November.
Trump’s tactics are all too familiar. Following his 2020 loss to President Joe Biden, Trump and his allies launched an unprecedented campaign to overturn the election results, culminating in the deadly January 6 Capitol insurrection. This effort not only resulted in Trump’s historic second impeachment but also led to multiple federal and state felony charges against him in connection with election interference. Despite these consequences, Trump’s recent statements suggest he is preparing to repeat these tactics if the 2024 election does not go in his favor.
At the heart of Sanders’ warning is Trump’s false claim that a photo showing thousands of people gathered to greet Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz at a Michigan airport was generated by artificial intelligence. Trump, without evidence, asserted that the image was fake and that “nobody” had attended the rally. Sanders responded to this absurdity by stating, “Donald Trump may be crazy, but he’s not stupid.” He continued, “When he claims that ‘nobody’ showed up at a 10,000-person Harris-Walz rally in Michigan that was livestreamed and widely covered by the media, that it was all AI, and that Democrats cheat all of the time, there is a method to his madness.”
Sanders argues that Trump’s baseless claims are part of a deliberate effort to prepare his supporters to reject the election results if he loses. “Clearly, and dangerously, what Trump is doing is laying the groundwork for rejecting the election results if he loses,” Sanders warned. “If you can convince your supporters that thousands of people who attended a televised rally do not exist, it will not be hard to convince them that the election returns in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and elsewhere are ‘fake’ and ‘fraudulent.’” This strategy, Sanders contends, is about more than just Trump’s ego; it is a direct attack on the foundations of American democracy. “This is what destroying faith in institutions is about. This is what undermining democracy is about. This is what fascism is about,” he added.
Trump’s actions are not occurring in a vacuum. As his polling lead begins to diminish amid growing enthusiasm for the Harris-Walz ticket, Trump has returned to his familiar refrain: if he loses, it will be due to “cheating.” This narrative is not new, but it is being amplified by a network of Republican officials and influential figures who are working in tandem to spread misinformation and sow doubt about the electoral process.
One key element of this strategy is the renewed focus on the myth of “illegal immigrant voters.” Despite being widely debunked, including by right-wing groups, the false claim that undocumented immigrants are voting in U.S. elections has been resurrected by Trump and his allies. Trump’s running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, has joined in these attacks, as have other prominent Republicans. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who played a significant role in the legal efforts to overturn the 2020 election, recently accused undocumented immigrants of attempting to “disrupt our elections.”
Even figures outside the traditional political sphere, such as billionaire businessman Elon Musk, are contributing to the spread of these false narratives. In a recent interview with Trump on his social media platform X, Musk provided a platform for Trump to amplify his baseless claims. This collaboration between political and corporate leaders is a troubling development that further undermines public trust in the electoral process.
The potential consequences of this coordinated campaign of misinformation are profound. A recent report by the government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) revealed that 35 county officials who were involved in efforts to subvert the 2020 election remain in positions where they could influence the 2024 election. CREW president Noah Bookbinder expressed deep concern, stating, “I think there’s almost no question that this is going to happen. And it seems to be happening in a way this year that is more systematic than it has been in the past. So that’s deeply, deeply concerning.”
The systematic undermining of trust in elections poses a serious threat to democracy. If Trump and his allies succeed in convincing a significant portion of the population that the electoral process is rigged, it could lead to widespread political violence and instability, further polarizing an already divided nation. The international community, too, is watching closely, as these developments threaten to erode the global perception of the United States as a beacon of democracy.
“This is why we must do everything we can to see that Trump is defeated,” Sanders concluded.
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