'Danger and a threat': U.S. should be 'ready' for Trump to challenge results, Belcher says

Belcher's warning comes as Trump continues to make baseless claims about widespread voter fraud.

Former FBI official Frank Figliuzzi said Sunday that the United States should be prepared for former President Donald Trump to challenge the results of the 2024 presidential election if he loses.

"I think we need to be ready for that," Figliuzzi said on MSNBC's "The Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart." "I think that's a danger and a threat. We need to be ready for that just as we would be ready for any other threat to our democracy."

Figliuzzi's warning comes as Trump continues to make baseless claims about widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election, which he lost to President Joe Biden.

Trump's claims have been repeatedly rejected by state and federal election officials, as well as by courts. However, he has continued to repeat them, and he has said that he may run for president again in 2024.

If Trump does run again and loses, Figliuzzi said, he could try to challenge the results by claiming that the election was rigged.

"He could try to do that by filing lawsuits, by trying to get state legislatures to overturn the results, or by trying to pressure state officials to do so," Figliuzzi said.

Figliuzzi said that it is important for the United States to be prepared for this possibility and to ensure that the results of the election are respected.

"We need to be ready to defend our democracy against any threats, both foreign and domestic," he said.

Figliuzzi's warning is not the first time that experts have raised concerns about the possibility of Trump challenging the results of the 2024 election.

In a report published in January, the Brennan Center for Justice warned that Trump's continued attacks on the legitimacy of the electoral process could lead to violence and instability in the 2024 election.

The report said that "Trump's rhetoric and actions have created a dangerous environment in which violence and intimidation are more likely to occur."

The report also recommended that the United States take steps to strengthen its election security and to prepare for the possibility of Trump challenging the results of the election.

These steps include increasing funding for election security, providing training for election officials, and educating the public about the importance of voting and the dangers of election fraud.