With all the horrors unleashed by Donald Trump since the beginning of the year, it’s hard to pick the worst. Certainly, the armed occupation of Minneapolis deserves all the attention it is getting. The execution of American citizens, the kidnapping of children, and the weaponization of the law against anyone who isn’t MAGA is a four-alarm constitutional crisis. Already, Trump’s invasion of Venezuela for oil riches has faded from memory, and his threat to conquer Greenland seems like forever ago.

But perhaps the most threatening action Trump has taken in the past month is one that hasn’t gotten nearly enough attention. Last week, the FBI seized ballots, voter rolls, and other records related to the 2020 election from the Fulton County election center in Georgia. (Fulton County includes Atlanta and the surrounding metro area.)

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As with so much else with the Trump administration, the action was unprecedented. Trump has long fumed that the 2020 election was stolen from him in Georgia. He was even recorded pressuring the state election official, a Republican, in January 2021 to “find 11,780 votes” to make up his deficit.

The FBI raid was attended by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who has no reason to be involved in local election issues. Indeed, the federal government has no control over local elections. Apparently, the ostensible reason for Gabbard’s involvement is a crackpot conspiracy theory that somehow the Italians interfered with the vote via satellite at the behest of China.

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What makes the raid so frightening is that it looks like a dress rehearsal for this year’s midterm elections. Trump said just last month that he regretted not ordering the National Guard to seize ballots in 2020. Facing a potential Democratic landslide in November, Trump is setting the stage to carry through on his deferred wishes.

Trump has no respect for law or norms. He only cares about himself. He hates being branded a loser, and the idea of having Democrats in at least one chamber of Congress (and increasingly perhaps both) is one he will not abide. He won’t allow any restraints on his power. If that means declaring elections invalid, he will, even if he has no right to do so.

While the Georgia raid was shocking, it wasn’t the only sign of Trump’s focus on overturning fair election results. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s letter (more like a ransom note) to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), laying out the conditions for reducing ICE’s presence in the state, included a request for the state voter rolls.

Trump has made it clear that the only elections he likes are the ones he wins. (He would probably prefer a coronation to an election anyway.) In an interview with Reuters last month, he said he had accomplished so much “when you think of it, we shouldn’t even have an election” in November.

Trump will do everything that he can to avoid Republicans being crushed in November, because he knows that it will be a referendum on him. Republicans will gladly abet him, now that swearing Trump won the 2020 election is an article of faith.

If it means seizing ballots, Trump will order it. Whatever restraints were on him in 2020 are long gone. If you think things are bad now, just wait until the election.

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