'Chaos and discord': Some Republicans caution Donald Trump could be aiming for election denial if he doesn't win

Donald Trump and his allies are intensifying their efforts to cast doubt on the integrity of the upcoming US election, with a concerted push from far-right organizations such as Turning Point USA and True the Vote. According to election experts and seasoned Republicans, this strategy is aimed at creating a pretext for disputing the results should Trump lose.

John Giles, the Republican mayor of Mesa, Arizona, and a vocal supporter of Vice President Kamala Harris, for instance, has warned that if Trump faces defeat, he and his associates will "throw everything at the wall and see what sticks." Giles suggests that Trump might even incite unrest in response to a loss.

As per news reports, in this election campaign, the former US president has shifted the focus to his accusations against federal and state prosecutors, who have charged Trump with attempting to overturn the 2020 results. There are also unfounded assertions about noncitizens voting in significant numbers.

As per The Guardian, one of the far-right organisations, Turning Point USA, has launched a multi-million dollar initiative to mobilise voters in crucial swing states, while continuing to promote unfounded claims about election rigging from 2020. The organisation has also raised new concerns about potential fraud in the current election.

Trump and his MAGA supporters have been vocal about alleged "election interference" and "lawfare," for a long time. These accusations came to a crescendo on January 6 2021 when far-right supporters stormed the US Capitol building, following Trump's defeat at the hands of Joe Biden. 

As per The Guardian, quoting experts, this rhetoric not only rejuvenates Trump's base but also attempts to weaken the rule of law. 

Trump’s reluctance to commit to accepting the election results has continued this year. During a June debate with President Joe Biden, Trump wavered on whether he would accept a fair outcome, repeating his unfounded fraud claims to justify his efforts to overturn the 2020 results.

In recent months, false claims about noncitizen voting have proliferated within the MAGA ecosystem, The Guardian reported. According to other news outlets, Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson have pushed for legislation to ban noncitizen voting, despite it being illegal and historically rare.

Another far-right organisation, True the Vote has contributed to these fears with a March fundraising appeal, alleging plans to counteract what they baselessly predict will be election "chaos" due to supposed mass illegal voter registrations.

Election experts and former Republicans caution that these tactics are indicative of an attempt to claim the election was rigged if Trump does not win. Dave Trott, a former Republican congressman from Michigan, has criticised Trump for perpetuating fraud claims without evidence, creating a "Plan B" to disrupt democracy in the event of a loss, The Guardian reported.