Barely 33 days before the midterm elections, Donald Trump told TIME that he isn’t ready to “rule anything out or in” when it comes to interfering with the vote. Then he added, “You mean the Insurrection Act? I’ve never used it. I could use it. A lot of people think I should use it.” I have written about the raids, the war, the racist propaganda, and the institutions he has torn apart, but hearing him threaten our elections so carelessly gave me a lump in my throat. This was a president who struggled to answer basic questions and who appears to believe there is nothing that can stop him from acting on his worst impulses. Asked what would happen if Democrats take Congress, he said, “They’ll probably go after me, and I’ll go after them.” He is already telling us what he intends to put our country through if we change the balance of power.
There was another detail about this interview that he may have considered a triumph: his 56th TIME cover broke the record he shared with Richard Nixon. But Nixon did not earn those covers through proud accomplishments. The magazine was documenting the crisis consuming his presidency. Now the parallels go far beyond magazine covers. Scandal, a failing economy, and collapsing public support surrounded Nixon, and Trump’s approval in the AP-NORC poll now sits at 31 percent. He calls those numbers fake and insists he would beat anybody by 20 points. He regrets appointing Supreme Court justices because they have voted against him, as though their obligation is to the man who gave them their seats. Asked why his White House renovations should matter to families struggling to pay their bills, he talked about gold, broken locks, and protecting his decorations from future presidents. He never answered for the families choosing between groceries and gas. Asked what he will miss most when his presidency ends, he answered immediately: “This beautiful room.”
When I learned about Watergate in school, it was presented as a story in which the system had worked. The president broke the law, he was caught, and he resigned. One teacher made sure we understood that it was also a warning that we always have to keep our eyes on people with power, including those standing close to the president. I understand that warning differently now. Nixon eventually understood that the office did not belong to him. Trump acts as though the country and everything in it does. The voters who watched Watergate that November ensured that the Democrats gained 49 House seats and four Senate seats, sending a new generation to Washington to demand accountability. We have that opportunity again. We can take back the House and the Senate, and show this president and the next man like him that this country belongs to us.
See the full story in the video.
We are living through a pivotal moment for our country, and my goal is to reach as many people as possible with clear, factual information about what is happening. The more people who understand what is unfolding, the better our chances of pushing back against chaos, cruelty, and corruption ahead of the midterms.
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I’ll see you tomorrow,
Heather
This video is based on my written post, available HERE, and based on the events of 10-1-2026.
This commentary represents my personal opinions and analysis of matters of public concern, informed by publicly available information. Any references to individuals constitute opinion and commentary protected under the First Amendment.
Sources:
https://time.com/article/2026/10/01/donald-trump-2026-interview-transcript/
https://time.com/article/2026/10/01/donald-trump-2026-interview/
https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/01/politics/donald-trump-iran-interview
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-approval-rating-record-low-midterm-elections-12512645
https://www.npr.org/2026/09/14/nx-s1-5962190/supreme-court-mail-in-voting-trum
