Trump publicly claimed he changed California's gubernatorial primary results by calling a federal prosecutor on behalf of Republican Steve Hilton — but Hilton finished second in the race regardless, and election experts say Trump's claim reveals ignorance about how votes are counted. Multiple outlets including the New York Times and Democracy Docket have confirmed Trump made this statement. The claim underscores how Trump has openly suggested willingness to meddle in elections through DOJ pressure, which critics argue demonstrates the weaponization of federal prosecution he campaigned against.