Full Breakdown
Former GOP Chair Michael Steele Slams Far-Right Election-Control Proposal
8/12/2026, 4:34:42 AM
Core Event: Discussion of Emergency Powers on MS NOW
During a recent episode of “The Weeknight” on MS NOW, former Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele and co-host Eugene Daniels examined a clip in which far-right radio host Wayne Allyn Root advised President Donald Trump on a strategy to “seize control of state-run elections.” Root suggested that a presidential declaration of a national-security emergency would make the action unchallengeable except by a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress, after which Trump could impose photo-ID requirements, proof of citizenship, and limits on mail-in ballots. Trump responded only with a vague remark that “stranger things have happened.”
Background & Context: Ongoing Debate Over Election Integrity Claims
The exchange reflects a broader pattern of rhetoric among some MAGA-aligned figures who have floated the idea of using emergency powers to alter the 2020 election outcome. Such proposals have been repeatedly dismissed by legal scholars as unconstitutional, yet they continue to surface in media appearances and radio shows, fueling concerns about potential misuse of the Insurrection Act or other emergency statutes.
Official Statements & Responses: Steele’s Assessment
Steele characterized the proposal as “simplistic stupidity” and emphasized that Root’s description of emergency powers is “constitutionally and factually incorrect.” He warned that the conversation signals a “roller coaster to election hell,” arguing that the administration has been setting the stage for Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act and redesign the election process. Steele’s remarks framed the suggestion as a dangerous escalation beyond legitimate political discourse.
Verbatim Quotes
- “If you declare a national security emergency as the President of the United States, they can't challenge it. It can only be overturned by a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress,” — Wayne Allyn Root
- “Can I just start by saying to our audience, what you just heard there was simplistic stupidity, okay?” — Michael Steele, former GOP chair
- “We started this conversation at the beginning of this term, warning people that the endgame was to get to a point where Donald Trump could somehow engage in invoking the Insurrection Act, declaring a national emergency so that these 2020 elections could be taken by him and redesigned however he wants,” — Michael Steele, former GOP chair
