By Basant El-Faramawy
Former Colorado elections clerk Tina Peters met with President Donald Trump at the White House in October, where she and her attorney urged him to issue an emergency order “tantamount to martial law” ahead of the midterm elections, according to a report by MSNOW.
Push for federal intervention
Peters told the outlet that Trump has the authority to send federal law enforcement to investigate vote counting “if there’s something that is criminal in nature,” adding that he does not need congressional approval. Her attorney, Peter Ticktin, a childhood friend of the president, separately called for an emergency order that would effectively impose martial law, and suggested ballots and election equipment might need to be commandeered.
Legal constraints
Legal experts note that obtaining voting equipment requires a search warrant or subpoena, and martial law does not grant the president authority to seize election materials. A federal judge ruled in April 2025 that the Constitution does not give the president specific powers over elections.
Peters’ conviction and commutation
Peters was convicted in August 2024 on seven of ten charges, including four felonies, for allowing an unauthorized individual linked to MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell to access voting equipment during a 2021 software update. She received a nine-year sentence but was released in May 2026 after Colorado Governor Jared Polis commuted her term, calling it “extremely unusual and lengthy” for a first-time, nonviolent offender. The commutation drew sharp criticism from Democrats, including Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, who called it a “dark day for democracy.”
White House response
A White House spokesperson declined to comment on the meeting, stating the administration does not discuss private meetings that may or may not have occurred.
