Trump orders lawsuit to BLOCK Alaska election certification

At 6:07 tonight, Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis walked toward reporters on the tarmac in Fort Myers with a gold-plated coin. But behind that spectacle was a far more consequential admission: Trump said he personally ordered his Justice Department’s lawsuit seeking to delay certification of Alaska’s Senate election under certain conditions. In this episode, I look at what that case asks for, the disputed allegations surrounding Jared Kushner, and why the consequences of this administration reach far beyond our borders. Based on the events of 10-23-2026 The Breakdown: • Trump and DeSantis displaying a gold-plated coin to reporters on the Fort Myers tarmac • The spectacle unfolding alongside new questions about corruption and election interference • The DOJ lawsuit seeking to delay Alaska Senate certification if similar candidate names could affect a close result • Incumbent Dan Sullivan and candidate Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., and the claimed risk of voter confusion • The Alaska Supreme Court’s earlier ruling allowing Sullivan Jr. onto the ballot, with steps to distinguish the candidates • Derek Muller calling the federal case “strange and unusual,” and Justin Levitt questioning its legal path • Trump acknowledging that he personally ordered the lawsuit: “I’m the one who said, ‘do it.’” • Why I see the attempt to potentially block certification as an attack on our democratic republic • Vanity Fair’s reporting from Matthew Cole’s Princes and Thieves about an alleged hack of Jared Kushner’s phone • The report’s allegations involving access to foreign government accounts and approximately $700 million in transfers • Former officials telling Cole they knew of no presidential authorization for that access • Kushner and Trump denying the allegations, and the unresolved question of what Russia may have collected • My memory of a 2019 conversation in Hungary about how long the Great Recession’s damage lasted • The UK’s “Be Ready” campaign urging households to prepare at least three days of emergency supplies • European preparedness efforts and CNN’s account of concerns about Russia and the Trump administration’s approach to Europe • Why Americans need to hear more about the consequences of our government’s decisions for people abroad • Voting in eleven days with our democracy, our allies, and people beyond our borders in mind This commentary represents my personal opinions and analysis of matters of public concern, informed by publicly available information. Any references to individuals constitute opinion and commentary protected under the First Amendment.