With the 2024 presidential election approaching, former President and current Republican nominee Donald Trump is once again casting doubts on the legitimacy of the upcoming vote. During a campaign rally on Saturday, September 28, in Erie, Pennsylvania, Trump escalated his rhetoric, accusing the Democratic Party of widespread cheating and laying the groundwork for a potential contesting of the election results should he lose. reported by The Daily Beast.
Trump’s tirade against election integrity is not new—his persistent claims of a “stolen election” in 2020 culminated in the January 6 Capitol insurrection, as his supporters violently attempted to overturn the results. Now, just over a month before the 2024 election, Trump’s refusal to commit to accepting the outcome of the vote has returned to the forefront of his campaign.
When asked earlier this year by Time magazine if he would accept the results of the 2024 election, Trump responded ambiguously: “If we don’t win, you know, it depends. It always depends on the fairness of the election.” His recent rally speeches have only intensified his attacks, with Trump claiming that the only way he could lose is through electoral fraud.
At the Erie rally, Trump continued his pattern of casting suspicion on election workers and officials, specifically targeting Democratic strongholds. “If they didn’t cheat, I wouldn’t even be here today—you know why? I wouldn’t have to campaign. I’m here only because they cheat,” he declared to the crowd. “And they cheat in this state. Especially in Philadelphia… Detroit is out of control. Atlanta is out of control. Places are out of control. Out of control.”
Trump’s claims of rampant fraud went further, with a dramatic hypothetical: “If God came down from on high and said, ‘I’m going to be your vote tabulator for this election,’ I would leave this podium right now because I wouldn’t have to speak. We wouldn’t have any problem. We have to have a landslide because they cheat so damn much.”
Despite Trump’s allegations, election officials from both parties, independent experts, and even a data analyst hired by his own 2020 campaign have confirmed that there is no evidence to support claims of widespread fraud in U.S. elections. Still, Trump’s allies are preparing for legal battles. According to the Associated Press, Republicans have filed over 100 lawsuits challenging various aspects of the electoral system.
The Republican National Convention, led by Trump ally Michael Whatley and his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, has also leaned into election integrity fears, promising to build “the most extensive and monumental election integrity program in the nation’s history.”
During a recent speech in Michigan, Trump revived a long-debunked conspiracy about the Biden administration bringing in “criminals” from Venezuela to vote in U.S. elections. “Like in Caracas, Venezuela, the criminals have all been brought to the United States. Their crime rate is down in Caracas,” he said, adding, “The only way we’re gonna lose is because they cheat. They cheat like hell.”
Trump’s rhetoric extends beyond rallies. On Truth Social, his own social media platform, Trump continues to allege Democratic schemes, including a baseless claim that the party is focusing on “getting millions of votes from Americans living overseas” to rig the election. In the same post, he took aim at mail-in voting, which he has long criticized without evidence, and issued a stern warning: “Remember, IF YOU VOTE ILLEGALLY, YOU’RE GOING TO JAIL.”
Earlier in September, Trump spoke to North Carolina police officers, urging them to be on high alert for voter fraud. “Watch for the voter fraud, because we win without voter fraud,” he said, adding, “They’re afraid of that badge. They’re afraid of you people.”
Trump’s concerns have permeated into Washington, D.C. This past week, Congress passed a short-term spending bill to avoid a government shutdown, but only after Republicans dropped a proposal that would have required proof of citizenship to register to vote. The so-called SAVE Act, inspired by Trump’s demand for stricter election measures, faced criticism for addressing a problem that is statistically insignificant. Studies show that non-citizen voting in the U.S. is exceedingly rare. told by Yahoo.
Despite the SAVE Act’s removal, House Speaker Mike Johnson worked hard to reassure Trump and his supporters. “I’m not defying President Trump,” Johnson said, emphasizing that he had spoken to Trump and understood his frustrations. “His concern is election security, and it is mine, as well. It is all of ours.”
As Trump’s 2024 campaign progresses, it is clear that his focus on election fraud remains a core strategy. Whether this approach will resonate with voters or alienate those wary of repeating the chaos of 2020 remains to be seen. What is certain, however, is that Trump’s claims of a “rigged” election will continue to shape the narrative leading up to November 5.
