“I need loyalty, I expect loyalty.” With these words, allegedly uttered to Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Director James Comey in the first few days of his presidency, Donald J. Trump summarized his expectations for those around him during his time in office and beyond. For those whose fealty Trump deemed inadequate, backlash from Trump was swift. Some, like Comey, were fired. Others, such as Congressional members of Trump’s own party who did not support his initiatives, were subject to a different kind of punishment. Trump derided them as “Republicans In Name Only” (RINOs), effectively stunting their political fortunes with the Republican base. In many cases, he even threw his support behind their primary challengers. 

In the early months of Trump’s post-presidency, themes of loyalty and vindictiveness have continued to be the guiding principles of his political activity. One slight in particular has been at the top of Trump’s mind: those who he believes stood in the way of his second term thanks to their unwillingness to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Even though he is no longer president and lacks any official powers, Trump is still taking aim at his perceived enemies, using the bully pulpit to decry those he believes are traitors. This strategy of going public has also manifested itself in Trump’s endorsements of candidates perceived to be loyal to him. In written statements, at campaign rallies, and in interviews, the former president has thrown his political support behind political allies and attacked those who have drawn his ire. Though Trump came up short in his reelection bid, his influence should not be underestimated, particularly amongst Republicans. According to a recent CNN poll, 63% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents still believe that he should lead the party. Similarly, a study conducted by researchers at Harvard, Northeastern, Northwestern, and Rutgers found that a Trump endorsement of a candidate would make 45% of Republican voters more likely to vote for that candidate.

Though Trump has been more politically active than most past presidents, holding rallies, lobbying members on Capitol Hill, and endorsing candidates, post-presidential political activity is not inherently unusual. Since leaving office, President Obama has been quite active on the campaign trail, frequently stumping for Democrats during the 2018 and 2020 election cycles. President Clinton has been similarly active, particularly in support of his wife’s presidential aspirations. President George W. Bush too, though generally more disengaged from politics, has waded back into political waters on occasion.

So if all presidents engage in political activity after leaving the White House, what’s the big deal about President Trump’s actions, even if they are somewhat more zealous? Here is where we return to Trump’s infatuation with loyalty and revenge. It is not the existence of Trump’s post-presidential political activity that is worrisome, but rather its substance that should be of concern. Amongst the litany of Republicans that he has endorsed, Trump has made a point to signal his support for those at the state level, particularly gubernatorial and secretary of state candidates in presidential battleground states.

During his ultimately futile attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, Trump learned who are truly the power brokers in the realm of presidential elections: state officials. State legislatures determine the mode of appointing presidential electors, while secretaries of state serve as the chief election officials. Governors ultimately must sign a “certificate of ascertainment” identifying for which candidate their state’s electors voted. These state officials could theoretically make decisions that would change the winner of a presidential election in their state. Thus, in striving to shift the results in his favor in 2020, Trump tried to influence state officials in all three positions. He courted Michigan state legislators at the White House hoping they would ignore the state’s popular vote count and unilaterally appoint electors, he implored Georgia’s secretary of state to “find” more votes, and he pressured multiple governors not to certify the election results. To their credit, though all these officials were Republicans, none bent under intense pressure from the sitting President of the United States and his supporters. In Trump’s eyes, this refusal to help him overturn the election was the ultimate sign of betrayal. To Trump, Republicans are supposed to be undyingly loyal to their leader: him.

Despite Trump’s obvious displeasure with the outcome of the 2020 election, the former president is not merely licking his wounds. Rather, it seems he has learned from the past: what stood between Trump and successfully overturning the 2020 election were elected officials who rebuffed his pleas. It is sometimes easy to paint Trump as a scatterbrained politician who spouts off and acts on a whim. Though certainly not all of Trump’s actions are well thought out, throughout his political career, Trump has proven to possess considerable political savvy that should not be understated. His post-presidential political activities demonstrate both this wit and his thirst for vengeance.

In presidential battleground states across the country, Trump has thrown his support behind candidates who have both publicly praised him and called into question the efficacy of the 2020 election. This is his latest definition of “loyal.” In Georgia, Trump endorsed Representative Jody Hice, a man who has repeatedly perpetrated false claims of election fraud, to serve as secretary of state, the state’s chief elections officer. Trump has also endorsed State Representative Mark Finchem, who attended the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, for Arizona’s secretary of state position, citing his “powerful stance on the massive Voter Fraud” in 2020. And, noting her position on the “massive crime of election fraud,” Trump endorsed Kristina Karamo for Michigan’s secretary of state. In contrast, Trump is attacking elected officials who chose to defend the Constitution in the days post-election. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensburger has been repeatedly berated by Trump for certifying rather than overturning election results. Similarly, Trump has also vowed to oppose Republican Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s reelection bid. Collectively, these efforts represent Trump’s attempt to oust those he views as insufficiently loyal from positions of power with regard to presidential elections and install allies in their place.

While there is nothing illegal about Trump’s endorsements, they represent a concerning pattern: a systematic effort to install loyalists who support Trump’s false claims of election fraud in posts where they would be empowered to make key decisions pertaining to elections. Someone of Trump’s stature weighing in could easily tip the scales in these under-the-radar races. Indeed, Trump’s stamp of approval is undoubtedly helpful in these candidate’s fundraising efforts. A recorded television ad or a rally appearance closer to election day could help bring attention to these races and drive voter turnout in support of Trump’s ally.

Though it has not been explicitly said, Trump’s underlying motivation is clear. If elected in 2022, these Trump allies would be in charge of elections in key battleground states during the 2024 Presidential Election. Of course, this could stand to benefit Trump, who has repeatedly flirted with the prospect of launching another presidential bid. It is not inconceivable that these Trump allies, once empowered, will use their positions to make decisions to help Trump in 2024. Given the grave potential consequences of inaction, Americans who reject Trump’s “Big Lie” must wake up. Though state elections are often ignored by many, those in 2022 are critical to our democracy. The good news is that they have not happened yet. It is not too late to donate to and volunteer for the opponents of these Trump allies. It is not too late for other prominent leaders to make endorsements and speak out. Most importantly, it is not too late to remember to vote in these races. If America does not pay attention soon, it is not hard to imagine these Trump allies doing Trump’s bidding in 2024 and handing him the election. Let’s not let it get that far.