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Norms Impact

Joe Biden warns that Donald Trump will try to ‘steal’ midterm elections

A former president says the sitting administration is moving to impose potentially prohibitive voting requirements—normalizing election manipulation through administrative barriers rather than voter consent.

Elections

Feb 28, 2026

Sources

Summary

Joe Biden warned in a public address that Donald Trump will attempt to “steal” the midterm elections by erecting new barriers to voting. The warning centers on Trump’s plan to introduce potentially prohibitive voting requirements ahead of the midterms. The practical consequence is heightened pressure on voting access as Americans are urged to “show up and vote” amid claims of intentional obstruction.

Reality Check

Normalizing the use of voting requirements as “barriers” to shape who can participate shifts elections away from consent and toward engineered outcomes. When federal power is framed as a tool to restrict access to the ballot, it conditions the public to accept procedural manipulation as routine governance. Over time, that precedent weakens electoral integrity by making participation contingent on shifting administrative hurdles rather than equal citizenship.

Detail

<p>In South Carolina, Joe Biden delivered a rare public address while being honored for lifetime achievement at the Columbia Museum of Art on Friday. He said the United States is experiencing “dark days” and warned that Donald Trump will attempt to “steal” the midterm elections.</p><p>Biden criticized Trump’s plan to introduce potentially prohibitive voting requirements ahead of the midterms, saying Trump is “trying to pull out more and more barriers” and “put them up” because he “can’t win your vote.” Biden urged Americans to vote, saying “the power still belongs to the people for now.”</p><p>Biden also criticized Trump’s recent State of the Union address and an immigration crackdown in which federal agents killed US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis in January, saying Trump did not mention them or offer solace to their families. He further said Trump did not acknowledge victims of Jeffrey Epstein.</p>