Former White House lawyer Ty Cobb has warned that President Donald Trump is systematically building a case to declare a national emergency around the midterm elections. Cobb, who managed the Trump administration’s response to the Russia probe, believes Thursday night’s primetime speech forms part of that strategy.
Ty Cobb claims Donald Trump may be setting up for emergency
Cobb outlined his concerns during a PBS News interview, pointing to a broader pattern of behaviour targeting electoral infrastructure. He cited Donald Trump’s focus on voting machines, changes to mail-in voting rules, new voter registration requirements, and the recent removal of members from the Election Assistance Commission as steps toward manufacturing an emergency.
“I think tonight’s speech is intended to add the predicate that he needs to declare an emergency at or about the time of the elections,” Cobb said, suggesting Donald Trump is methodically laying the groundwork for an emergency declaration.
The former special counsel painted a stark picture of what voters might encounter during the midterm elections. He referenced suggestions from Steve Bannon and Todd Blanche about deploying ICE agents at polling stations. “I think that that’s a virtual certainty,” Cobb stated, adding that National Guard deployment remains an open question.
The ultimate aim, Ty Cobb argued, extends beyond intimidating minority and immigrant voters. He suggested the administration wants legal cover to seize voting machines, something Donald Trump reportedly attempted in 2020 before then-Attorney General Bill Barr explained there was no basis for such an emergency action.
“I think you will see him doing everything he can to try to prevent the peaceful transfer of power, the election of Democrats, and do whatever he can to remain in power,” Cobb warned. When pressed on what guardrails remain, Cobb gave a sobering assessment.
The internal checks that existed during Trump’s first term have vanished, he explained. Figures like General Kelly, General Mattis, Nikki Haley, and Mike Pompeo, people Cobb described as having character who would challenge reckless decisions, are no longer in the administration.
The only remaining safeguard, according to Cobb, is voter turnout. “We need people to come out and vote against that,” he said. “That is the only remaining guardrail in our democracy.”
The stark warning comes as Trump has previously stated he believes losing Congress to Democrats would lead to his impeachment.
