U.S. House Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) predicted “blood” and “chaos” will follow should former President Donald Trump be declared to have lost the presidential election but dispute the election results, and revealed House Democrats already have plans to install security fences in Washington, D.C. before the next president is inaugurated.
Cohen made the remarks during an appearance on NewsNation in remarks to host Dan Abrams on Monday, after predicting Vice President Kamala Harris will win both the popular and Electoral College votes on November 5.
“But I think Trump won’t stop at anything, and we’ll be in courts, and we’ll be in litigation, and he’ll be telling people, again, to go to the Capitol if you want to have a country and fight like hell,” Cohen told Abrams, referencing the civil unrest in Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2021.
Cohen added, “There may be blood.”
The Democrat then revealed he asked his Democratic colleagues about how Congress plans to prepare for such violence.
Cohen explained, “I’m concerned, and I said something to the caucus yesterday on a group call. They’re going to put up high electoral fences between the Electoral College and the swearing in, the inauguration, but I think they ought to put them up before we get back up there Monday week.”
Cohen predicted “chaos” would ensue for the nation if the election results were disputed.
“There may be blood.” Rep. Steve Cohen warns of violence from Trump supporters if Kamala Harris defeats him. (Video: NewsNation) pic.twitter.com/pAolmM8Sx1
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) November 1, 2024
He specifically raised security concerns for congressional members in a post to X, where Cohen wrote, “We shouldn’t be waiting to physically secure the Capitol and this election against possible violence—they should start erecting fences, barricades & other safety measures NOW, before Congress returns.”
Cohen claimed, “We know Trump won’t accept the results if he loses and we know he’ll sow chaos.”
We shouldn’t be waiting to physically secure the Capitol and this election against possible violence—they should start erecting fences, barricades & other safety measures NOW, before Congress returns.
We know Trump won’t accept the results if he loses and we know he’ll sow… pic.twitter.com/odiRnW45yo
— Steve Cohen (@RepCohen) November 1, 2024
Both Cohen and Abrams referenced the advice offered by former Trump White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon, who advised the former president against waiting for third-party officials to call the election and to declare victory himself should the results look certain in remarks Bannon made shortly after being released from federal prison.
Harris dismissed the plan in a Wednesday interview, declaring Democrats “are prepared to respond.”
Cohen previously described Trump’s first term as president as “the most disgusting presidency in the history” of the United States, and in 2021, urged Democrats to pursue priorities listed by President Joe Biden or risk Trump’s return to the White House.
Earlier this year, Cohen was part of a Democratic effort to strip Trump’s Secret Service protection that occurred just months before the first attempt to assassinate the former president.
Watch Cohen’s full appearance on “Dan Abrams Live”:
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Steve Cohen” by Steve Cohen. Background Photo “Capitol with Fences Around It” by angela n. CC BY 2.0.
