Trump Undermines Democracy: Are Americans Losing Faith in Elections?
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Donald Trump is once again in the spotlight in United States politics. Several of his bold moves are undermining public confidence in the American democratic system.
The sharpening polarisation, allegations of fraud, and political interventions in the electoral process are making the public increasingly doubtful about the integrity of the system.
The United States is even believed to be facing a serious threat to its democracy ahead of the midterm elections on 3 November. This is not only about the potential defeat of the Republican Party, but also the collapse of public trust in the electoral system that has long been the foundation of the country.
The latest forecast model from The Economist indicates that the Democratic Party is almost certain to regain the House of Representatives and even has a chance to take over the Senate.
This result is surprising because the competitive landscape actually favours the Republican Party. However, the high level of public rejection of Donald Trump is said to be the main factor pressuring his party’s electability.
At the same time, political polarisation in the US is becoming sharper. Both sides accuse their opponents of cheating. False claims about the 2020 election being “stolen”, interference in electoral mechanisms, and gerrymandering practices have led many citizens to lose confidence that elections are conducted fairly.
Several analysts assess that the greatest risk is not direct vote theft, but rather the damage to the legitimacy of election results. If the losing side refuses to accept the outcome, the potential for a political crisis will grow even larger. In a democratic system, accepting defeat is as important as victory itself.
Trump is also said to be attempting to expand federal government influence over election administration, which has traditionally been managed by the states. This move is considered potentially unconstitutional and is raising new concerns about the independence of the electoral process.
On the ground, tensions are also rising. Make America Great Again (MAGA) loyalist groups are said to be pushing for aggressive monitoring at polling stations and even proposing the deployment of immigration enforcement officers to voting locations.
Although likely to be rejected by the courts, this rhetoric is considered sufficient to create fear and suppress voter participation in certain areas.
After voting, the threat of mass legal challenges also looms. In the 2020 election, courts rejected various claims from Trump’s camp. However, if a similar pattern recurs, a lengthy legal process could deepen public distrust.
Nevertheless, the US electoral system is assessed to still have strong resilience because it is managed in a decentralised manner by the states and local officials. This structure limits the central government’s ability to directly control election outcomes.
The biggest problem now is the collapse of public trust. Only 25% of voters are confident that the midterms will be free from disruptions. The majority of supporters from both parties view their opponents as too extreme, and only 10% of citizens rate both parties as honest and ethical. For a country that often claims to be a beacon of world democracy, this situation is a serious alarm.
Here are 5 steps by Trump that illustrate how this has happened.
- Claiming the Election Was Stolen and Delegitimising Political Opponents
Trump continues to promote the narrative that the 2020 election was rigged. This unproven claim has directly contributed to the decline in public trust in election results.
He also consistently labels opponents as dishonest or even traitors. As a result, both political camps in the US now view each other as cheating parties.
- Interfering in the Electoral System
Various efforts have been made to shift election management from the states to the federal government. However, the US Constitution stipulates that elections are managed by the states, so this move is raising concerns about the centralisation of power.
This is a classic Trump pattern. He identifies a problem in the form of declining public trust (which is partly triggered by his own narrative) and then offers a solution that could potentially worsen the situation by expanding his power.
Furthermore, this solution is also considered contrary to the US Constitution, so it is highly likely to be rejected by the courts.
- Intervention on Election Day
If rules cannot be changed, Trump is assessed to still have leeway to disrupt the election process directly on voting day.
A proposal has emerged from his supporters to deploy ICE agents (US immigration enforcement) to polling places to prevent illegal voting. This deployment is baseless and unlawful, as illegal voting practices are actually very rare. The government’s somewhat ambiguous stance on this idea adds to the concerns.
Furthermore, this potential intervention could be targeted at areas that are bases of political opponents, where intimidation of voters (especially minority groups) could suppress participation.
- Relying on Legal Challenges to Prolong Conflict
After elections, legal challenges become a strategy that is continually used. Although often failing in court, this process prolongs uncertainty and reinforces the narrative that election results are questionable.
This was done in 2020. At that time, all claims were rejected by the courts, showing that the judicial system is still functioning well.
Nevertheless, Trump’s support groups are known to be aggressive in litigation and have substantial financial resources. On the other hand, the refusal to acknowledge defeat is strengthening, so legal challenges become a tool to sustain that narrative.
- Framing Elections as an Existential Battle
Trump consistently questions the good faith and honesty of anyone who opposes him, regardless of political affiliation.
This narrative is then reinforced by portraying every election as a life-or-death struggle, almost like a “political doomsday” situation. This narrative makes supporters view