Transcription
The US is now engaged in military operations against Iran, and Trump just left a big clue as to why on his Truth Social. He wrote, quote, "Iran tried to interfere in 2020, 2024 elections to stop Trump and now faces renewed war with the United States." And then Trump links an article from the highly regarded and famed outlet Just the News, which totally checks out.
So why does this matter? Because by using this claim as the justification for a war, he kills two birds with one stone. First off, this is an instance of wagging the dog, right? Trump is woefully unpopular at home. He is failing on his signature campaign promise to lower costs. He's embroiled in a pedophile sex trafficking ring scandal. And his ICE deployments are so unpopular that he didn't even mention the word ICE one single time at a State of the Union speech.
So, what does he do? Well, I'm not going to tell you. I'm actually going to let Trump tell you in his own words. "2011, in order to get elected, Barack Obama will start a war with Iran. 2012. I always said Barack Obama will start a war with Iran in some form prior to the election. Also 2012, now that Obama's poll numbers are in a tailspin, watch for him to launch a strike in Libya or Iran. He is desperate. Also 2012, don't let Obama play the Iran card in order to start a war in order to get elected. Be careful, Republicans."
Or this from 2011: "Unfortunately, we have a president that doesn't know the first thing about negotiation. We have a real problem in the White House. So, I believe that he will attack Iran sometime prior to the election because he thinks that's the only way he can get elected." Isn't it pathetic?
>> Or this from 2012. >> "You know, I've said before I think Obama will go to war with Iran because I think he views it as good politically and I that's pretty sad and it's a pretty sad thing to have to say, but I think he will absolutely go to war with Iran. I think he views that as a positive from a political standpoint and I think he's just waiting for the right moment and I think Iran better be damn careful because they are overplaying their hand just like Gaddafi and just like Saddam Hussein." >>
So if you're wondering what Trump's mindset is here, he already gave it to you. But here's the second reason that he wants this war against Iran over this idea that Iran rigged the 2020 or 2024 elections to stop him. In his mind, the war legitimizes that claim, which he will then use to claim extraordinary powers to suspend or change election rules in 2026 and beyond. And if you think that's me being alarmist, consider the fact that his White House quite literally this week begun circulating a memo. It would be an executive order that gives them the power to do exactly that.
I spoke with Mark Elias about that point. Here's what he had to say. >> "Yeah. So, the memo is bonkers. I mean, let's just like lay it out at the beginning that that nothing I'm about to describe makes any sense. So, if as I go along you're like, 'Well, that doesn't make any sense, right?' It doesn't make any sense. This is this is a bonkers memo. But look, it was only a few weeks ago that Donald Trump posted on social media, and we'll put it up right here. 'I have searched the depths of legal arguments not yet articulated or vetted on this subject and will be presenting an irrefutable one in the very near future.' Okay, this was like cryptic. Like first of all, why is legal capital L and arguments capital A?" >>
>> "Yeah, that's that's that's a 10-year battle that we've been waging. But but going >> what does it mean that they are not yet articulated or vetted like what what does this all mean?" >> "Well, look, this may be very well what Donald Trump had read. This crazy memo that says under these unrelated federal statutes, he has the power to declare an emergency. And that somehow that emergency power would then give him the power to disrupt voting, to not let certain voting equipment be used, to ban mail-in ballots. You know, the irony of all of this, Brian, is that the memo cites two statutes. One is the National Emergencies Act, which is not relevant, and the other is the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Now, if that sounds familiar, Brian, that is because that is actually the statute that Donald Trump relied on to impose the tariffs that the US Supreme Court said he doesn't have the authority to use for tariffs. So what on earth leads him to believe he has this power to somehow take over elections under a statute that they have actually said he can't even use for tariffs that is actually supposed to govern emergency economic powers. I mean it's bonkers but Brian it's also terribly worrisome and it is a big threat to democracy as we move forward. And what I'm worried about here Brian is not that this is gonna stand up. I mean, I've already said it and I'll say it again now. If Donald Trump signs an executive order trying to take over any aspect of voting, and I mean any aspect, even one centimeter of of voting, he's going to get sued by me and my law firm, and we're going to beat him like a drum. The last time he he he tried to do it in an executive order. That's what we did. We sued, we won. And this one, we will sue again, and we will win again. But Brian, what worries me, what worries me is that the legacy media is treating this with respect and with plausibility and elevating it as if it is something other than a crackpot theory. I mean, the Washington Post, which kudos, was the first news outlet to to cover this, it it says in the sub headline, 'Activists who say they are in coordination with the White House are circulating a draft executive order that would unlock extraordinary presidential power over voting.' I'm sorry. Unlock? No, no, no. It's not unlocking power. It is making up out of thin air. It is an authoritarian takeover. It is a wannabe dictator, you know, promulgating something that violates the constitution. Like, how the hell does the legacy media refer to this as unlocking extraordinary presidential power over voting? There is no extraordinary power over presidential power over voting to be unlocked."
And of course, to watch the full episode with Mark Elias and any of my other interviews, make sure to subscribe to this channel. It is and always will be 100% free, but it's a great way to support my work. That link is right here on the screen.
But in other words, Donald Trump gets everything he needs. He distracts from his disastrous domestic policy failures. And he gets some lame pretext to usurp control of the election in the United States by doubling down on his insane conspiracy theories about how Iran meddled in the election. And now that we're at war, he needs all these sweeping powers for national security that he has to exercise. Remember, Trump does not do anything that doesn't help Trump. He is not interested in spreading democracy abroad. Hell, he's responsible for contracting democracy right here at home. This guy's not some champion for civil rights. He's an aspiring autocrat whose only priority, only priority is himself and his grip on power. The problem is that he's too ham-handed not to drop a thousand clues about exactly why he does everything that he's doing. So consider this a warning. Do not be surprised when he uses this action as a pretext to help himself in the upcoming election. He doesn't care who or what has to be discarded, killed, or destroyed in pursuit of his own power. And he's proving as much right now.
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