Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman is raising alarms about a scenario that, until recently, many considered unthinkable.
During an appearance on The Jim Acosta Show Tuesday, Goldman issued a stark warning that President Donald Trump’s recent address to hundreds of top U.S. generals at Marine Corps Base Quantico was far more than political theater — he sees it as laying the groundwork for an authoritarian power grab. Goldman specifically believes Trump hinted at the possibility of canceling the 2028 presidential election.
“It’s also, I think, really dangerous because it is trying to manufacture a crisis so that Donald Trump can continue to take more and more authoritarian actions and so that he can usurp more and power,” Goldman told Acosta.
Trump’s speech to military leaders included familiar themes: the “enemy within,” violent crime in Democratic-run cities, and the need to secure the southern border. But Goldman argues the underlying message is far more menacing: creating the narrative that the country is in such chaos, elections cannot be safely held.
“And ultimately, my view is that he is looking ahead to 2028, where he will say that, for cockamamie made-up reasons like he’s talking to these generals about,” Goldman continued.
“That ‘well, look, we’re being invaded from within from the enemy within and we’ve got to keep our border safe. And that’s what our focus has to be. We can’t possibly have an election under these circumstances.’”
When Acosta pressed him, “You really think that could happen?” Goldman didn’t hesitate.
“Yeah, I think that’s where a lot of this is heading towards,” he said. “I think that’s why he’s floating a third term. That’s why he’s using this language of a war, of the enemy within, of securing our border.”
If that seems alarmist, consider Trump’s actual words at Quantico. In front of senior military brass, he spoke about employing the military to address internal threats and even suggested sending troops into Democratic-run cities like Chicago and Portland. He framed the military’s role as protecting the nation from enemies “within,” not just defending it from external threats.
This rhetoric, combined with Trump’s repeated musings about staying in power beyond two terms — a clear constitutional violation — is raising alarms for observers concerned about the erosion of democratic norms.
Goldman’s warning is direct: history shows the playbook. Manufactured crises, declarations of chaos, branding political opponents as traitors or invaders, and now, suggesting elections may be unsafe. It’s an authoritarian script that rarely ends well, and it often goes unchallenged until it’s too late.
Whether Trump could legally or logistically cancel an election is a complex question. But Goldman’s point is clear: the current narrative shift alone makes the unthinkable appear possible.
Watch the clip below:
