Ex US spy chiefs say Trump 'willing to go beyond limits' at midterms

Donald Trump could take unprecedented action to interfere in the United States' midterm elections, warn former US intelligence chiefs and Trump administration insiders.As Americans prepare to head to the polls this week, Four Corners spoke to a former CIA boss, a former FBI director, and four senior advisors from Trump's first administration.They fear the president's persistent criticisms of the electoral process may be a precursor to him meddling in the midterms or rejecting the results.Former CIA director John Brennan says in Trump's America, nothing is off limits. "He has defiled the office of the presidency," he says. Trump's homeland security chief has even suggested federal immigration agents could be deployed to polling booths. Fears of meddling from the White HouseFormer US intelligence chiefs Brennan and James Comey both sounded the alarm over Russian interference in the 2016 election that swept Trump to power.Now, they say the risk of election meddling is coming from Trump himself."I do worry about what he could do in the run-up to the election [and] what he might do on the day of, as well as in the aftermath," says Brennan, who was CIA director when Trump took office in 2017. James Comey and John Brennan. (Four Corners: Ryan Sheridan/Nick Wiggins)Although Trump's name is not on the ballot paper, Americans are expected to use the midterms as a referendum on Trump's second term in office.Polls suggest the Democrats are poised to win the House of Representatives and possibly snatch control of the Senate.Brennan says the president is trying to sow doubt in the elections, and warns nothing is off limits."Donald Trump's attitude, as evidenced by his actions, is he's willing to go beyond limits and then dare people to pull him back, or to challenge the courts and others to stop him from doing it," Brennan says.Comey, who served as FBI director between 2013 and 2017, shares Brennan's concerns."These midterm elections … are the most important, certainly in my lifetime, and maybe ever in the United States because we have an out-of-control presidency," Comey says."One branch of our government that's supposed to be constraining [Trump] is missing in action."To replace that with a group of representatives who will work to constrain this president is the most important mission of my lifetime."Just before Trump's inauguration in January 2017, Comey briefed the president-elect about Russian meddling in the 2016 election.Four months later, he was sacked after refusing to pledge his personal loyalty to the president during a private dinner at the White House.Since Trump's return to power, both Comey and Brennan have been targeted by the Department of Justice.Comey was recently charged with criminal offences for the third time."We, as a country, made an enormous mistake returning Donald Trump to power," Comey says."And we've seen the consequences of that mistake."Risk of ICE agents confronting voters at polling boothsThe president's Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has flagged Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers could be deployed if there was a threat to a polling place or if they were serving a warrant.He also warned local and state election officials they could face arrest — and possibly jail — if they fail to comply with the Trump administration’s election demands. ICE agents could greet voters at polling booths in some jurisdictions.(Getty Images: Adam Gray)Ty Cobb served as special counsel in the first Trump White House, and says Mullin's proposal is a deliberate attack on democratic processes."Markwayne Billybob is an idiot. I mean, the man is a moron," he says."It's part of the campaign to undermine confidence in elections, to pave the way for the authoritarianism that these people practice." Ty Cobb and Anthony Scaramucci. (Four Corners: Ryan Sheridan/Nick Wiggins)Anthony Scaramucci served as Trump's White House communications director for a turbulent 11 days in 2017.Even though a Civil War-era law from 1865 means it is a crime to bring armed personnel to a polling place, Scaramucci says he fears ICE agents could be deployed during the midterms to intimidate people into staying away. "Just the notion that you could go to the polling booth, get arrested and/or deported even if you're voting eligible," Scaramucci says."These people are crazy, so they're capable of doing something like that."Republicans fear Trump could 'undermine confidence' in electionsIn the lead-up to the midterms, Trump has accused his Democratic rivals of cheating and stealing votes, and criticised US elections as "corrupt", "crooked" and "rigged".His administration has already filed a lawsuit to block certification of the Senate race in Alaska if Republican senator Dan Sullivan loses narrowly.The lawsuit argues the presence of a second candidate with the same name, who is running as an independent, could confuse voters and siphon away votes from the incumbent.Republican Marc Short says he is disturbed by the president's aggressive language about the midterms and the prospect of federal officers appearing at polling booths.Short served as Trump's legislative affairs director, and as the chief of staff for then-vice president Mike Pence. Marc Short.(Four Corners: Ryan Sheridan/Nick Wiggins)"I don't think it's healthy to undermine faith and confidence in our elections," Short says."And if we're doing that ourselves, then we're kind of doing the work of our greatest enemies."Comey says he believes Trump wants to "be the bogeyman, to cast doubt on the elections, to be a shadow in the corner"."It's all part of trying to freak people out about elections … to frighten us into thinking that our elections are vulnerable," he says.A Gallup poll in July found nearly two-in-three US adults were worried about election officials being pressured by politicians to change the results.A Daily Mail/YouGov poll last month (October) revealed just over half of respondents feared Trump would refuse to accept the outcome of the midterms if the Democrats won.John Bolton, who served as Trump's national security advisor from 2018 to 2019, says it's a real possibility."For Trump, the world is divided into winners and losers," Bolton says."He is a winner. Therefore, if he loses, he didn't lose, he was cheated."He's making excuses now, laying the groundwork to try and create a lack of confidence in the outcome, whatever it may be."Democrats to pursue corruption allegations against Trump familyIf the Democrats win one or both houses of Congress, Trump faces a potentially bumpy final two years in office amid investigations into his and his family's business dealings."Trump's corruption is so palpable that corruption, for the first time in a long time, is a significant issue and it does register with voters," Cobb says."They all recognise that during the time that he's been in office, they have suffered, but he has enriched himself." Donald Trump and his family have reportedly made billions of dollars during his second term as president.(Getty Images: Kenny Holston-Pool)In his first year back in office, Trump reaped a stunning $US1.4 billion ($2 billion) from his family's cryptocurrency businesses.In total, the president made $US2.2 billion in 2025. That is $42.3 million a week. There have also been reports that his wife and children have made millions in questionable deals since Trump returned to the presidency.The combined net worth of his two eldest sons reportedly grew by more than half-a-billion dollars, largely driven by crypto ventures and other investments.Luke Ball, a Republican strategist who worked on Trump's successful 2024 re-election campaign, denies the president has engaged in any corruption. Luke Ball. (Four Corners: Ryan Sheridan/Nick Wiggins)"The president and his family are entrepreneurs," he says."They're going to have their hands in many different businesses, and the whole family doesn't have to cease operations just because one of them becomes president."Short says he expects impeachment proceedings will eventually restart in Congress if the Democrats win one or both houses."I'm not saying the president will get convicted, but I think you're going to see more of that unfortunate cycle in American politics the next two years," he says.Even diehard Trump supporters such as Ball acknowledge the Democrats will go after the president and the first family if they win at the midterms."If they come back into power, it's going to be nothing but investigations," he says."They'll impeach him a third time."Bennie Thompson, a Democratic congressman from Mississippi, confirmed the Democrats would likely investigate Trump and his family's fortunes if they win."[Trump] made a ton of money, and brags about it," he says."When we see grifting in plain sight, we can't ignore it." Watch Four Corners: Endgame on Monday, November 2 at 8:30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview.