Erin Burnett says Trump is preparing to dispute 2026 midterms if GOP loses

Republican voters may soon face a familiar debate about whether their votes were counted fairly. CNN anchor Erin Burnett argues that President Donald Trump is already positioning his party to challenge the outcome of next week's midterm elections if they result in major losses for Republicans.

Burnett appeared on her show Tuesday to discuss the final days of the campaign. She noted that Republicans are concerned about losing control of the House and possibly the Senate. Burnett stated that Trump is looking for an exit strategy in case his party suffers a significant defeat.

The discussion centered on a clip aired during the broadcast. In the footage, a reporter asked Trump if he would respect the results of the 2026 midterms whatever happens. Trump replied, “I will if they’re honest elections.”

Burnett focused on the conditional nature of that answer. She said the qualifier “if they’re honest elections” is a common tactic. She added that it remains unclear what standards Trump uses to define an honest election, noting that the United States has historically held honest elections.

To support her point, Burnett cited new analysis from The Washington Post. The report found that nearly 600 high-profile right-wing social media accounts and podcasts have published more than 7,000 statements questioning election integrity so far this year. Burnett said these outlets are echoing Trump's own rhetoric, including his warning this week to be careful of voter fraud.