I hope you're right about the reverse psychology, @Will.

"The big mystery is why would he reveal and normalize such anti-democratic plans ahead of time?"

I agree that no normal, rational person would do so. But Trump is neither. Among other things, he seems to see himself as above consequences; a related problem is that he never questions his own judgment. I can imaginer him thinking, "If I tell my followers not to vote, they'll understand but no one else will."