James Carville says Trump will rig midterm elections: ‘Don’t kid yourself’

During a candid interview on The Jim Acosta Show, Carville did not mince words as he warned that Trump, with the support of hardline allies like Stephen Miller, could go to extreme lengths to retain Republican control of Congress—even if it means subverting democratic norms.

“I wouldn’t put anything past him—nothing at all,” Carville said emphatically. “If you think he’s above canceling elections or manipulating the process, you’re not paying attention.”

The exchange with host Jim Acosta took a sobering tone as the two discussed the possible strategies Trump might employ to avoid Democratic oversight. Acosta pointed to recent political maneuvers and rhetoric coming from Trump’s inner circle as evidence that the president is determined to shield himself from legal scrutiny and congressional investigation.

“Do you worry,” Acosta asked, “about Donald Trump and Stephen Miller and some of these types monkeying around with the midterms and the way we do elections in this country? With what they’re trying to pull these days, they clearly don’t want accountability. They don’t want Democrats getting the gavels in the House and Senate, holding hearings, launching investigations—or even starting impeachment proceedings.”

Carville didn’t hesitate. “In a short word, yes! In longer words, very much so,” he said.

Though the next midterm elections are still well over a year away, political observers note that Trump is already laser-focused on the battle to maintain GOP dominance in Congress. According to a report by Politico’s Rachael Bade, the president has been actively involved in recruiting candidates, issuing early endorsements to avoid divisive primaries, and raising substantial campaign funds—all in a bid to preserve his influence and prevent Democrats from gaining subpoena power and investigative authority.

“He’s already working the phones. He’s already making the calls. He’s doing everything he can to shape the battlefield,” Carville noted. “That tells you something. He’s afraid of what happens if he loses control.”

Carville went even further, suggesting that Trump is not constrained by conventional political thinking—and that’s precisely what makes him dangerous.

“He can think of things we can’t even imagine, because we’re not wired like that. We’re not accustomed to imagining authoritarian power plays or undermining elections,” Carville said.

The strategist’s alarm isn’t hypothetical. He said he’s regularly approached by concerned citizens who fear what lies ahead.

“People come up to me all the time and say, ‘James, I’m really scared,’” he said. “And I tell them: ‘You should be. You have every reason to be scared. Don’t kid yourself. This is not normal politics anymore.’”

Acosta, visibly unsettled, echoed the sentiment: “This is scary s—!” “Yeah, it’s really scary,” Carville affirmed. “Really scary.”

Acosta further reminded viewers of Trump’s past attempts to cling to power, notably the January 6 insurrection, when thousands of his supporters stormed the Capitol in a violent bid to overturn the 2020 election results. Trump later pardoned over 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the events of that day, a move critics say signaled impunity and a green light for future anti-democratic actions.

“What’s to stop him from trying to steal another election?” Acosta asked.

Carville’s response was grim.

“This one may be even worse,” he warned. “He sees what’s coming down the tracks. He knows what accountability looks like. And he’s going to do everything—everything—in his power to avoid it. He’s already thinking of a way to wriggle out of this.”

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Trump’s influence is reaching unprecedented levels

Trump’s success in pushing his sweeping “mega bill” through the House paints the extent of his enduring grip on the Republican Party—and raises serious concerns about the health of American democracy.

The bill, packed with extreme partisan priorities and passed with little transparency or bipartisan input, reflects not just legislative power, but a consolidation of loyalty to Trump himself rather than to democratic institutions or checks and balances.

Several GOP lawmakers admitted they had not fully read the bill before voting, highlighting how Trump’s influence has created a political environment where blind allegiance overrides scrutiny or debate. This rubber-stamp behavior enables the erosion of democratic norms, including accountability, legislative independence, and separation of powers.

Moreover, Trump used threats of primary challenges and promises of campaign cash to enforce unity around the bill. This coercive strategy not only centralizes power in one individual but intimidates dissent within the GOP, further undermining democratic pluralism.

When legislation this consequential is passed through fear, loyalty, and propaganda rather than debate and consensus, it is not governance—it is authoritarian drift, and a threat that should not be underestimated.