WASHINGTON: Some outside advisers and allies of US President Donald Trump are urging him to consider extraordinary measures, including declaring martial law, around the November midterm elections, according to reporting by The Atlantic and CNN.
The issue has drawn attention after The Atlantic reported that several outside figures have been pressing Trump to take greater control of federal elections amid unsubstantiated claims of election fraud.
Among those cited is attorney Peter Ticktin, a longtime associate of Trump who attended military school with him as a teenager. Ticktin told The Atlantic that he sees several possible scenarios for the November elections and suggested that Trump could declare martial law around Election Day if he believes the election process is compromised.
Another Trump supporter, broadcaster Wayne Allyn Root, has also publicly urged the president to consider declaring a national-security emergency to impose measures including voter identification and citizenship requirements. Trump responded in August that “stranger things have happened,” without announcing such a policy.
However, the reports do not establish that Trump has decided to impose martial law or take control of the midterm elections.
The White House told The Atlantic that Ticktin, Root and former Colorado clerk Tina Peters play no role in the administration’s election policy. CNN likewise reported that the White House has distanced itself from the outside advisers advocating such measures.
The 2026 US midterm elections are scheduled for November 3 and will determine control of both chambers of Congress, making the election a significant political test for the Trump administration.
The controversy comes amid broader debate in the United States over federal involvement in elections. US elections are primarily administered by state and local authorities, while Congress has authority over federal election rules. CNN reported that legal experts expect any attempt to substantially alter the established system to face immediate legal challenges.