Trump Allies Revive 2020 Election Conspiracy Theories as Potential Basis for Expanded Presidential Power

As the 2026 midterm elections approach, a draft executive order circulating among allies of former President Donald Trump is raising concerns about a potential attempt to consolidate power over the electoral process. The order reportedly leverages unsubstantiated claims of foreign interference in the 2020 election – claims that have been repeatedly debunked – to justify sweeping changes to voting procedures, including a potential ban on mail-in ballots and electronic voting machines.

The Resurfacing of Discredited Claims

The draft order echoes a pattern of conspiracy theories that proliferated following the 2020 presidential election, alleging widespread fraud and foreign manipulation. These theories, despite being thoroughly investigated and disproven, continue to be promoted by Trump and his supporters. Several key narratives are reportedly being revisited as potential justifications for the executive order.

Dominion, Smartmatic, and Alleged Venezuelan Ties

One prominent claim, originally pushed by Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani, alleges that Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic were part of a communist plot involving Venezuela, China, and Cuba to rig the 2020 election. These claims, which asserted Dominion was founded in Venezuela at the direction of Hugo Chávez, have been widely discredited. Dominion was founded in Canada, and recounts and audits in key states confirmed the accuracy of machine tallies. Smartmatic actually blew the whistle on fraud in the Venezuelan National Constituent Assembly election in 2017.

The Frankfurt Server Raid and Scytl

Another debunked theory centered on a false claim that the U.S. Army raided a server facility in Frankfurt, Germany, belonging to Scytl, a Spanish election software company. The claim alleged that Scytl’s servers held the “real” 2020 vote tallies, showing Trump as the winner. Scytl issued a statement denying the claims, stating they have no servers or offices in Frankfurt. The U.S. Army and CIA also issued denials.

“Italygate” and Alleged Italian Interference

The “Italygate” conspiracy theory alleged that Italian operatives used military satellites to remotely switch votes from Trump to Biden. This claim, originating in QAnon communities, was dismissed by the Italian government and Leonardo, the Italian aerospace company involved.

The Bamboo Ballots

During the Arizona State Senate’s audit of Maricopa County ballots, a theory circulated that 40,000 fraudulent ballots had been shipped into the state from Asia, identifiable by the presence of bamboo fibers in the paper. The audit, conducted by Cyber Ninjas, found no evidence of widespread fraud and ultimately confirmed Biden’s victory in Arizona.

Mike Lindell’s Claims of a China Hack

My Pillow founder Mike Lindell claimed to have evidence of a China-led hack of voting machines, presenting “packet captures” as proof. However, a software forensics expert, Robert Zeidman, determined that Lindell’s files contained no legitimate election data.

The Role of Key Figures

Several individuals are reportedly involved in pushing for the executive order and revisiting these discredited claims. Pro-Trump attorneys are circulating the draft order, anticipating its imminent issuance. Former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s presence at FBI searches of election offices in Fulton County, Georgia, suggests a focus on national security as a pretext for the order.

Real Foreign Interference and its Misrepresentation

While the claims of widespread foreign interference in altering vote totals have been debunked, it’s important to note that foreign actors, including Russia, Iran, and China, have engaged in influence operations. However, these efforts were detected and largely mitigated before significantly impacting the election results.

Implications for the 2026 Midterm Elections

The potential issuance of this executive order raises concerns about the erosion of democratic norms and the potential for the federal government to overreach its authority in election administration. The attempt to justify such actions based on debunked conspiracy theories underscores the ongoing threat to election integrity posed by disinformation and political polarization.