A Fox News legal analyst has made the explosive claim that former President Donald Trump privately suggested a 'military takeover' of Washington DC and New York City in the aftermath of his 2020 election defeat.
The stunning revelation comes from ABC News chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl's forthcoming book, 'Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show,' which details the chaotic final weeks of Trump's presidency.
According to Karl, Fox News legal analyst and former Trump administration official John Shu disclosed that Trump had floated the idea of using military force to maintain power in key Democratic strongholds. The proposal allegedly emerged during discussions about challenging the election results.
Inside the Controversial Suggestion
The book describes how Trump's inner circle reacted with alarm to the suggestion, with advisors immediately recognizing the proposal as both legally untenable and dangerously unconstitutional. Military leaders would have been required to swear an oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, making such an action impossible to justify.
Shu, who served in both Bush administrations and has extensive experience in constitutional law, reportedly explained to Trump why the military could not intervene in domestic political matters, regardless of the election outcome.
Broader Pattern of Election Challenges
This revelation adds to the growing body of evidence about Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. The former president pursued multiple legal challenges and promoted baseless claims of widespread voter fraud, ultimately culminating in the January 6th Capitol insurrection.
Karl's book provides new insight into the extreme measures Trump allegedly considered when legal challenges failed to produce his desired outcome. The military takeover suggestion represents one of the most dramatic revelations to emerge from post-presidency accounts of Trump's final days in office.
The White House has not officially commented on these specific allegations, though Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in his efforts to challenge the election results.
