(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) President Donald Trump is facing yet another round of scrutiny from the legacy media over baseless claims that he may declare martial law ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, even as he has shown no indication that he plans to do so.
The claims emerged from a Sept. 23 Atlantic story that cited no on-the-record Trump administration official saying Trump was preparing to declare martial law or take control of the elections.
Instead, the story cited attorney Peter Ticktin, a longtime Trump ally who holds no official role in the Trump administration.
Ticktin and other outside Trump backers have urged the president to take military action over concerns about voter fraud, but, by The Atlantic‘s own admission, their views do not represent official White House election policy.
The Atlantic‘s reporting quickly triggered a wave of headlines and television segments questioning whether Trump could declare martial law ahead of the elections.
Classic Democrat GOTV narrative.
Recognize it when you see it. https://t.co/NNFR5ls2Sa
— L A R R Y (@LarryOConnor) September 26, 2026
In response to the Atlantic‘s reporting, the White House reiterated that Ticktin plays no role in election policy. Similarly, the DOJ rejected claims that martial law is currently under consideration at the department.
A DOJ spokesperson said there are no plans “to declare certified voting equipment unreliable or unusable absent credible, verified evidence and the legal process for doing so.” The spokesperson added that “such an initiative is under way at the Department is false.”
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin also ruled out the notion that the administration is preparing to seize control of the election, according to The Atlantic.
The unsubstantiated speculation comes as Trump pushes for stronger involvement from the federal government in election security.
He urged lawmakers to pass the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections ahead of the midterms.
Trump has signed a series of executive orders addressing election security, including one directing the DHS and Social Security Administration to develop a system to identify potential fraud in voter rolls.
The order remained paused after civil rights groups sued the administration, until the Supreme Court stepped in on Sept. 25 and allowed the administration to proceed with the database while the case continues.
The midterm elections will be held on Nov. 3.
