News 59K views since yesterday

Comey outlines Trump's election-fraud argument for victory or defeat

ABC's Four Corners clip pairs the former FBI director's analysis with John Brennan's warning about constitutional limits.

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ABC News In-depth Story of November 4, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? One of ABC News In-depth's most watched videos since yesterday, with 59,020 views.

How far will Trump go to stay in power?

James Comey sees two possible election results leading to the same message from Donald Trump: an accusation of cheating.

"If he loses, he can say that he was cheated. If his side wins, he can say we overcame the cheating," the former FBI director tells Four Corners in a clip published by ABC News In-depth.

The report, "How far will Trump go to stay in power?", brings together former intelligence chiefs' concerns about the president's conduct surrounding the US midterms. It drew about 59,000 views since yesterday.

Archive footage shows Trump telling an audience that Democrats will cheat and describing elections as vulnerable to being rigged or stolen. Comey's argument is that this rhetoric gives Trump a ready explanation regardless of whether Republicans win or lose.

Former CIA director John Brennan raises a broader concern: that Trump could push beyond constitutional limits and test the courts. "So I do worry about what he could do in the run-up to the election," Brennan says. His remarks are a warning about possible conduct, rather than an account of a specific action taken to overturn a result.

Republican adviser and strategist Marc Short, who previously served as chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, focuses on the consequences of eroding trust from within. He argues that doing so benefits foreign enemies: "I don't think it's healthy to undermine the faith and confidence in our elections."

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