Just days before Americans head to the polls for the November 4, 2025, elections, President Donald Trump has reignited his calls for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to launch a sweeping investigation into the 2020 presidential contest. Trump’s latest demand, issued in a fiery Truth Social post on October 26, 2025, comes as he continues to allege that the race he lost to Joe Biden was “rigged and stolen”—claims he has repeated since the ballots were counted nearly five years ago.
In his post, Trump drew a sharp—and, for many, eyebrow-raising—comparison between the 2020 election and a recent NBA gambling scandal that has rocked the sports world. “What’s worse, the NBA players cheating at cards, and probably much else, or the Democrats cheating on elections?” Trump asked, referencing the high-profile federal indictments against several NBA players and coaches tied to Mafia-backed illegal gambling rings. According to Mediaite, the president continued, “The 2020 Presidential Election, being rigged and stolen, is a far bigger scandal.”
The NBA scandal, which saw Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former player Damon Jones charged for their alleged roles in illegal betting operations, has gripped headlines nationwide. But for Trump, these revelations pale in comparison to what he calls “the biggest scandal in American history.”
“Look what happened to our country when a crooked moron became our ‘president!’ We now know everything,” Trump wrote, taking direct aim at Joe Biden. He urged the DOJ to pursue an investigation into the 2020 election with “as much ‘gusto’ as befitting the biggest scandal in American history! If not, it will happen again, including the upcoming midterms.” According to Moneycontrol, Trump’s message was clear: he believes only aggressive action by federal authorities can prevent a repeat of what he claims occurred in 2020.
Trump’s renewed push comes amid a flurry of activity around election security and voting rules. He has long advocated for strict voter ID requirements and an end to both mail-in and early voting, which surged in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. “No mail-in or ‘early’ voting, yes to voter ID!” Trump insisted, warning Republicans to “get smart before it is too late.”
The president’s criticisms didn’t stop at national voting practices. He zeroed in on California’s Proposition 50, a ballot measure he claims is ripe for abuse. “Watch how totally dishonest the California Prop vote is! Millions of ballots being ‘shipped.’ Get smart, Republicans, before it is too late!” Trump declared, as reported by PBS and ANI. Proposition 50, also known as the Election Rigging Response Act, would allow Democrats to override district maps drawn by California’s independent commission and replace them with new congressional boundaries. Critics, including Trump, allege this could create up to five new safe Democratic seats, tipping the balance of power in the House. Supporters of the measure, including former President Barack Obama, argue it is a necessary counter to Republican-led gerrymandering in states like Texas.
Early voting for Proposition 50 is already underway, and the initiative is set for a final vote on November 4. The DOJ, for its part, has announced plans to send federal election monitors to several California counties to “ensure transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law.” This move, highlighted by Moneycontrol, reflects the heightened scrutiny and tension surrounding this year’s midterms.
Trump’s comparison of the 2020 election to the NBA gambling scandal is more than rhetorical flourish. He has consistently framed the alleged election fraud as not just a political issue, but a criminal one—on par with, or worse than, organized crime. “I hope the DOJ pursues this with as much ‘gusto’ as befitting the biggest scandal in American history!” he wrote, echoing a refrain that has grown only louder in recent months. According to MAGAVoice, Trump’s message to Republicans was unequivocal: “Get smart Republicans before it’s too late.”
The former president’s claims about the 2020 election have been widely debunked by independent fact-checkers, state election officials, and the courts. After the November 3, 2020, vote—where Biden secured 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232, as confirmed by the National Archives—Trump and his allies alleged widespread fraud involving invalid mail-in ballots, non-citizen voting, and manipulated voting machines. Investigations by the DOJ and independent observers found no evidence of systemic fraud that would have changed the outcome. Nevertheless, Trump’s assertions have become a rallying cry for his supporters and a central theme in his campaign rhetoric.
In June, Trump called for the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate the 2020 election, insisting, “Biden was grossly incompetent, and the 2020 election was a total FRAUD! The evidence is MASSIVE and OVERWHELMING. A Special Prosecutor must be appointed. This cannot be allowed to happen again in the United States of America! Let the work begin!” as quoted by Moneycontrol.
Trump’s push for stricter voting rules has also taken the form of executive action. Earlier this year, he signed an order aimed at overhauling election procedures nationwide, although the Constitution largely gives states the authority to manage their own elections. Portions of Trump’s order have since been blocked by the courts, but the DOJ has continued to request voter information from states as it investigates potential cases of fraud, according to CNN.
As the midterm elections approach, the climate is one of deep distrust and division. Trump’s supporters argue that his demands for investigation and reform are necessary to restore faith in American democracy, while critics contend that his repeated claims of fraud undermine confidence in the electoral process itself. The debate has spilled over into state legislatures, courtrooms, and, most visibly, the national conversation—fueling legislative battles over voting rights and the future of redistricting in states like California.
For many Americans, the president’s latest statements are a familiar refrain—but with the added urgency of an election just days away. Whether Trump’s call for a DOJ investigation will gain traction, or simply further polarize an already divided electorate, remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the shadow of 2020 continues to loom large over the nation’s politics, shaping not just the coming midterms, but the very terms of debate about democracy itself.
