Trump Stokes Baseless Election Fears in Televised Rant Despite Staff Resistance
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President Donald Trump delivered a 26-minute primetime address on Fox News, peddling unfounded allegations of foreign interference in U.S. elections, even as his own aides tried to prevent the broadcast.
President Donald Trump commandeered the White House airwaves Thursday night for a 26-minute televised speech, once again sowing distrust in American democracy by alleging, without credible evidence, that foreign powers have compromised the integrity of U.S. elections and left polls open to manipulation. Trump invoked the tired conspiracy of a 'Deep State' cover-up during his first term, waving around selectively declassified intelligence reports as supposed proof.
The administration released documents that, in reality, simply rehash already public information about election threats and fail to support Trump’s recurring claims that elections are 'rigged' or 'stolen.' Reports indicate Trump originally wanted to air this divisive address in June, but his own aides delayed it, recognizing the danger of amplifying such baseless rhetoric in primetime. Fox News, ever the loyal mouthpiece, aired the speech in full, while more responsible networks declined to participate in spreading misinformation.
Fact-checkers have found no new evidence to support Trump’s fearmongering about hacking or foreign interference in the upcoming midterms. In a chilling attack on press freedom, Trump retaliated by demanding the revocation of ABC and NBC broadcast licenses for refusing to air his propaganda.
Even within the Republican Party, there is division. The Washington Post observed that many GOP candidates are wary of centering their campaigns on Trump’s 2020 election lies, fearing backlash from independent voters. Michael Whatley, former RNC chair and Trump-backed Senate hopeful in North Carolina, has wisely focused on real issues like the economy and public safety, steering clear of Trump’s election obsession.
Other Trump loyalists, such as Steve Bannon and Laura Loomer, have offered only tepid support, with Bannon pushing for more aggressive election security posturing and Loomer questioning whether the released information is even newsworthy. Senator John Cornyn, who lost his primary after Trump endorsed his opponent, pointed out the irrelevance of dredging up six-year-old grievances so close to the midterms.
The White House, perhaps embarrassed by this spectacle, has not responded to inquiries about the report.