In a familiar and troubling echo of his rhetoric from the 2020 election, former President Donald Trump once again accused Democrats, without any evidence, of attempting to “steal” the 2024 election. Speaking at a rally in Greenville, North Carolina, Trump continued to stoke baseless claims of voter fraud—claims that contributed to the infamous events of January 6, 2021, when his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol.

During his speech, Trump suggested that Democrats are attempting to cheat in the upcoming election, just as he claimed, without proof, during his 2020 campaign. “They’re trying, but they’re not going to get away with it,” Trump declared to the enthusiastic crowd, reinforcing a narrative that has been thoroughly debunked by experts, courts, and his own administration’s officials.

Despite repeated investigations and the lack of credible evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election, Trump has persistently pushed the idea that the election was rigged against him. This unfounded narrative culminated in the violent January 6 insurrection at the Capitol, where rioters attempted to stop the certification of President Joe Biden’s electoral victory.

Trump’s latest remarks appear to be part of a broader strategy to undermine confidence in the electoral process as the 2024 race heats up. At the rally, he referenced Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley, asking him if Democrats were cheating. When Whatley responded, “They’re trying, but they’re not going to get away with it,” Trump turned to the crowd and emphasized his point, further fueling the notion that the electoral process is under threat.

The former president’s words are seen by critics as a dangerous continuation of the falsehoods that led to the Capitol riot. Democratic leaders and election experts are warning that these claims not only erode trust in the electoral system but could lead to another wave of unrest.

While Trump remains a powerful force within the Republican Party, his continued focus on debunked election conspiracy theories raises concerns about the potential impact on the 2024 election, and whether his supporters could once again be driven to extreme actions. As the campaign season progresses, the spread of misinformation about elections remains a serious concern for democracy in the United States.