Trump allies secretly urge 'martial law' and ballot seizures if Republicans lose next month's midterms

Peter Ticktin — a childhood friend of President Donald Trump and the attorney for Tina Peters, the convicted former Colorado election clerk — took part in a livestreamed MAGA activist call on September 30, where he stated that "there would have to be martial law in the event of another rigged election." He also suggested that officials would "probably need to be commandeering of ballots and election equipment." Peters, who had been to the White House to meet Trump on at least two occasions since June, was among the call's participants.

Legal experts say the president lacks the power to seize state election materials, override election laws, or postpone a federal election date set by Congress.

Gregory Stenstrom, who gave testimony on alleged voting irregularities in Pennsylvania following 2020, separately called for either suspending the election entirely or invoking the National Emergencies Act to force states to overhaul their electoral procedures.

Ticktin reportedly told a conservative podcaster that Trump "is not going to relinquish control again" if he believes results are rigged, and that any conflict should be "martial law with our side in control of the armaments."