Breaking — Trump Says "We Shouldn't Even Have an Election"
Reuters buried it in the last line of an interview summary. We're not burying it.
While others stenograph, grift, or chase the next distraction—this is the news that matters and how it’s connected.
The President of the United States said the quiet part out loud.
In an interview with Reuters today, Trump was discussing the upcoming midterm elections—and his frustration that Republicans might lose seats. Then he said this:
“It’s some deep psychological thing, but when you win the presidency, you don’t win the midterms. When you think of it, we shouldn’t even have an election.“1
Read that again. The President of the United States just suggested—out loud, to a major news outlet—that there shouldn’t be an election.
Reuters buried it. Literally the last line of a “five takeaways” piece, sandwiched under “Managing Midterm Expectations.” No headline. No breaking news alert. Just... there. As if the president floating election cancellation is a minor observation about political strategy.
His justification? He’s accomplished so much that democracy is optional. The logic is naked: I’ve done great things, therefore you don’t need to vote. This is how authoritarians talk. First the idea is floated. Then it’s repeated. Then it’s policy.
The Same Day
This wasn’t an isolated moment. Here’s what else happened on January 15, 2026:
Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act against Minnesota
His Deputy AG called Governor Walz a “terrorist” and promised to stop him “by whatever means necessary”
Federal agents shot a second person in Minneapolis
Six children remained hospitalized after agents tear-gassed their car the night before
Military threats against states. Elected officials labeled terrorists. Children gassed by federal agents. And now: maybe we shouldn’t have elections at all. This isn’t a president having a bad day. This is a system revealing itself.
“I Don’t Care”
The Reuters interview revealed more than the election comment. When told Americans have tepid support for taking Greenland, Trump called the poll “fake.”¹ When asked about Republican pushback against his investigation of the Federal Reserve chairman: “I don’t care.”¹ When reminded that JPMorgan’s CEO warned White House interference in the Fed could harm the economy: “I don’t care.”¹
Public opinion. His own party. Business leaders. The answer is always the same: I don’t care.
This is what it looks like when a president stops pretending he serves anyone but himself. He’s not persuading. He’s not explaining. He’s announcing that your concerns are irrelevant. The feedback loop between leader and public has been severed—and he’s telling you so.
In the same interview, Trump defended the ICE agents in Minneapolis, calling Renee Good’s death “a very unfortunate incident”—while his homeland security secretary labeled her a domestic terrorist.¹ He claimed his operations removed “thousands of murderers” from the country. Reuters noted there is no evidence to support that assertion.¹
There's more below, but first: The president said we shouldn't have elections. Reuters buried it in the last line of a listicle. If someone needs to dig this stuff out and connect the dots, please consider supporting The American Manifesto. Paid subscriptions make it possible to catch what others bury.
The Pattern
We’ve been mapping this administration against the fascism syndrome—ten indicators that a democracy is backsliding into fascism:
Cult of the leader: The president believes his “achievements” entitle him to rule without consent. That’s not confidence. That’s coronation.
War on reality: Polls are “fake.” Republican concerns? “I don’t care.” Business leaders warning of economic harm? “I don’t care.” The leader’s version is the only truth.
Capture of the state and elimination of accountability: What is an election if not accountability? Suggesting we shouldn’t have one is saying the leader shouldn’t answer to anyone.
He’s not hiding it anymore. Right now, 3,000 masked federal officers in military gear occupy Minneapolis—shooting people, tear-gassing children, disappearing residents into unmarked cars. People said he wouldn’t invade Venezuela. He did it anyway. People say he won’t invade Greenland. Europe is preparing forces to defend it.
Now he’s saying we shouldn’t have an election.
Fool me once...
The president said we shouldn’t have an election. What are you going to do about it?
Want to understand how we got here?
Your Move
When the president says “we shouldn’t have an election,” what’s he testing? Public reaction? Media response? How far he can go?
Reuters buried this quote in the last line of a listicle. What does that tell you about how mainstream media is processing—or failing to process—what’s happening?
Who in your life needs to hear this? Share this article, or have the conversation yourself. Democracy doesn’t defend itself.
James Oliphant, “Five takeaways from the Reuters interview of President Trump“, Reuters, January 15, 2026.
Documents Trump’s statement that “we shouldn’t even have an election,” buried as the final line of a five-point summary of a 30-minute Oval Office interview. Also records Trump dismissing polls as “fake,” saying “I don’t care” to concerns from Republicans and business leaders, and defending ICE operations in Minneapolis. Reuters notes Trump’s claim that his efforts removed “thousands of murderers” from the country has “no evidence to support” it.