In a bold campaign declaration, former President Donald Trump has promised to take legal action against those he claims "cheated" in the 2020 election, should he win in 2024. Speaking at a rally and on social media, Trump vowed that he would prosecute these individuals "to the fullest extent of the law" and warned that long-term prison sentences would be part of the punishment for those involved in what he calls "rampant cheating" and "skullduggery" by the Democrats.
The 2024 GOP frontrunner has made election integrity a cornerstone of his campaign, frequently pointing to what he continues to claim were widespread irregularities in the 2020 election, despite a lack of evidence supporting these allegations. Courts across the country rejected challenges to the 2020 results, but Trump remains adamant that fraud occurred. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, “WHEN I WIN, those people that CHEATED will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law, which will include long term prison sentences so that this Depravity of Justice does not happen again”.
Conservative lawyer @gtconway3d on Trump saying he had “every right” to interfere in the 2020 election:
“His statement…is an admission that he tried to interfere with the election and that he wasn't trying to enforce federal law…And that's a crime." pic.twitter.com/Pyvr4pCoDM
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) September 3, 2024
The former president also announced plans for a thorough overhaul of the Department of Justice (DOJ), asserting that his administration would root out corruption and bias, which he believes has enabled such election fraud to take place. He specifically called out not only voters but also lawyers, donors, political operatives, and corrupt election officials as targets for his proposed crackdown.
Trump’s warnings come at a time when the first ballots of the 2024 election have started to be cast, and he has repeatedly urged his supporters to be vigilant. During a recent rally, he stressed the need to watch the election process carefully, emphasizing that “we cannot let our country further devolve into a Third World Nation”.
People like Ruby Freeman have been put on notice by President Trump!
Cheaters are going to prison!!
Ruby ran the same STACK of ballots thru the machines MULTIPLE TIMES in Fulton County & was then awarded a "Citizens Medal" from Biden.
Democrats CHEAT!
Plz Listen & REPOST!👇🏻🔊 pic.twitter.com/yrgJda9HGz
— Sheri™ (@FFT1776) September 9, 2024
This rhetoric, while familiar to Trump’s base, has also raised concerns among legal experts and political commentators, many of whom point out that such threats could escalate political tensions.
Critics argue that Trump’s focus on retribution and his baseless claims about the 2020 election undermine public confidence in the electoral system. Nevertheless, his supporters, who remain convinced that fraud played a significant role in the 2020 outcome, see his approach as a necessary measure to restore trust in American democracy.
Trump’s insistence on election fraud has also spurred legislative actions among Republicans. The House recently passed the SAVE Act, a bill that seeks to prevent noncitizens from voting by requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration—a measure supported by Trump and seen as a step toward ensuring election integrity.
As the 2024 campaign heats up, Trump’s promise to pursue harsh penalties for those he deems responsible for the alleged cheating in 2020 adds another layer to his bid for the presidency. With multiple legal cases looming over him, including charges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 results in Georgia and other states, Trump’s future in politics could be as contentious as his past. However, his base remains energized by his pledges to take aggressive action against election fraud, signaling that this will be a defining issue of the 2024 race.
