Trump Advisers Lay Out Plan to Seize Voting Machines Under Martial Law

Three. That is the number of outcomes attorney Peter Ticktin believes will define the November 2026 election cycle. Speaking before an election-skeptic conference in Las Vegas, Ticktin told reporters that President Donald Trump faces a specific fork in the road. The first scenario, a smooth election, is effectively ruled out because, in Ticktin's view, Democrats already cheated in the primaries. The second involves Trump taking action before votes are cast to prevent that perceived cheating. The third and most drastic option is a declaration of martial law on or around November 3.

Ticktin, who has emerged as a prominent legal voice in the administration, argues that the president possesses the unique insight to handle the severity of the situation. He stated, "He’s the only one that I know for sure has the understanding of the severity of it." In the event of the third scenario, Ticktin explained the president's choice simply: "Either martial law, or step aside." He dismissed concerns about potential civil unrest or riots if the administration attempts to overturn results, noting that the United States armed forces are significantly larger than any opposing force.

This strategic posture relies on a cadre of advisers with specific legal and criminal backgrounds. Trump recently secured the early release of Tina Peters, a convicted insurrectionist, and appointed her to his private election advisory team. He also installed David Levin, a convicted elections cybercriminal, to monitor the upcoming elections. These appointments sit alongside the influence of Ticktin, who participated in a Las Vegas event called the Storm Summit and previously helped file a lawsuit against Hillary Clinton in 2022.

The push for military and legal intervention marks a shift in how the administration approaches federal elections. For decades, the Republican playbook has included vote suppression and the purging of voter rolls, but the current strategy involves the potential use of force to control the counting process. Ticktin and Peters are positioned to advise the president on seizing voting machines immediately after polls close, a move that would make the results impossible to verify or challenge.

This approach contrasts with the administration's past actions during the 2024 presidential campaign. At that time, Trump ran as a private citizen, a status that obscured many promises made to foreign election interferers. The current focus on internal control and martial law suggests a move away from external coordination and toward domestic enforcement. The administration is preparing for a scenario where the integrity of the count is contested before the final tallies are even public.

The legal groundwork for these actions is being laid by lawyers who have been vocal about the need for executive intervention. Ticktin's recent comments provide a roadmap for how the White House intends to justify using federal power to manage the transition of power. The plan hinges on the belief that standard electoral processes are compromised, necessitating extraordinary measures by the executive branch to maintain what the administration views as fair outcomes.