Trump’s Election Conundrum: Was It Almost “Stolen” by Him?

Since 2020, former President Donald J. Trump has held steadfast to his claim that the election was “stolen” from him. Yet, recent testimonies from key figures in his inner circle paint a different picture: one in which the very tactics Trump alleged were used against him were instead part of a concerted effort on his part to retain power. These revelations—surfacing in high-stakes investigations and federal indictments—suggest that Trump’s claims might be ironic projections of his own actions.

An Inside View on a “Pressure Campaign”

A crucial revelation comes from Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aide to Trump’s Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows. In her testimony to the January 6 committee, she described intense pressure tactics deployed by Trump and his team in their bid to sway the election outcome. One startling example: Hutchinson recounted how Trump directed Meadows to “look into” Georgia’s vote count—resulting in direct contact with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. “Find me 11,780 votes,” Trump allegedly implored, a number that would have reversed Joe Biden’s slim margin in the state. Raffensperger, under oath, confirmed that he perceived the call as an attempt to “subvert” the electoral process.

Other officials have corroborated similar tactics in multiple states. In Arizona, Rusty Bowers, then-Speaker of the House, testified to his own encounter with Trump and his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. He recalled being urged to “find a path” to overturn Biden’s victory in Arizona, despite Giuliani’s acknowledgment that they lacked evidence of fraud. These anecdotes reveal a methodical, state-by-state approach that now looks like an orchestrated effort to alter the election’s result in Trump’s favor.

The Shadow of “Alternate Electors”

Perhaps the most complex facet of Trump’s alleged efforts involves the “alternate electors” plan—a strategy to substitute the actual certified electors with Trump loyalists in swing states Biden won. According to sworn statements from White House lawyers, the scheme was a point of contention within the administration, with several aides advising that such a move was illegal. Yet Trump’s allies continued to push it forward.

This alternate electors strategy was most visible in Michigan, where Republican electors were brought together and encouraged to sign documents asserting that they were the state’s legitimate electors. In testimony from Trump lawyer John Eastman, it became clear that the hope was for Vice President Mike Pence to use this alternative slate to disrupt the certification process. However, Pence resisted, declaring that he lacked constitutional authority to unilaterally overturn the vote—a stance for which he was later targeted by Trump and his supporters on January 6.

Pressure on the DOJ: “Just Say It Was Corrupt”

Perhaps one of the most striking pieces of testimony came from Richard Donoghue, a former top Department of Justice official. During an infamous December 2020 call, Trump allegedly asked him to “just say that it was corrupt, and leave the rest to me and the Republican congressmen.” In his own words, Donoghue claimed Trump wanted the DOJ to lend credibility to baseless claims of election fraud so that state legislatures could take matters into their own hands. This attempt to “coerce” federal officials into public statements on unfounded corruption may represent the most direct evidence of Trump’s alleged bid to alter public perception and wield governmental authority for personal gain.

Witnesses Describe January 6’s Dark Lead-Up

Many of the details about Trump’s actions have surfaced as part of investigations into the January 6 Capitol attack, an insurrection that followed his “Stop the Steal” rally. As crowds rallied to Trump’s claim that the election was stolen, the then-president’s allies, such as Michael Flynn and Steve Bannon, stirred up talk of martial law, with some encouraging a “decertification” of the results. Trump’s speech that day, which many believe incited the crowd, followed weeks of such incendiary rhetoric from his close advisers, suggesting that Trump’s narrative of theft may have fueled a violent attempt to prevent Congress from certifying the election.

Conclusion: A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy?

The irony of Trump’s repeated “stolen election” mantra is now unfolding. Rather than uncovering evidence of an election rigged against him, investigators are revealing the lengths Trump and his allies allegedly went to in their own efforts to “steal” the election. Testimonies from former staff, officials, and allies detail a systematic pressure campaign, a slate of potential “alternate electors,” and influence attempts on the Department of Justice, all aimed at reversing his electoral defeat.

As investigations continue, Trump’s words from his 2020 campaign echo with a new meaning. In his quest to label his defeat as fraudulent, he may have revealed his own playbook for retaining power—a playbook now under the scrutiny of history and the law.