Yes He can and He does. He is God and is a law unto Himself.

For example:

 Thessalonians 2:11,

" And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,"

Here God is the very one who sends to these wicked people a "strong Delusion" so that they would have no way of obtaining true repentance.

Isaiah 6:10,

 "Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed."

Luke 8:10 And He said,

"To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.!"

Here God has taken it on Himself both in the Old Testament and New to deceive or blind certain persons from seeing and understanding the truth. Even your Savoir repeats this to the disciples and says, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries", but the rest where by Gods power "blinded."

As far as I understand the English langue, to blind someone from “seeing” the truth is to “deceive”. In the American Heritage Dictionary here is what comes up if you look it up the thesaurus: “An outward appearance intended to deceive; disguise, pretense, cloak, etc…”

 Now some might say at this point that this cant be for the bible also says that God is “not the author of evil.”[1] Therefore how can we reconcile this? We reconcile this by letting the bible define its own words. For example the word in the bible for “knew” if used in context of people means more than mere knowledge but intimate even sexually. Now in the case when the bible says God is not the author of evil but then the bible also says God in His own choice sovereignly chooses to blind sinful people from believing truth, then there is only one conclusion. That according to bible the act of God blinding people from seeing the truth does not equate God of being the author of evil.

Romans 9:18-21

But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?" Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?"

          God does whatever His wishes and no one is to question Him about it. For God is a law unto Himself. There is not a cosmic law outside of the Almighty God posted at the doorstep of the universe binding God to do the right things. God is Good, and of Himself knew what is right and then Himself subjected the whole cosmos to abide by those good laws, which He in His infinite wisdom understood as good. God is the realty for which all things are to be judged against.

Therefore I encourage by the words of Titus 2:10-13

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”

 The grace of God has appeared on the seen of humanity by the Godman Jesus Christ. He became our punishment so that we might become the righteousness of God and cleaned from all evil works. What this teaches us is “repentance.” God owes nothing to sinfully mankind, who all rejected and belittled Him and His Glory. God, only because His is a God of mercy and goodness, gave us His Son. In this the “grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.” But only for a short time! This God given time of repentance is only for short window of time! Tomorrow is not guaranteed nor is tonight. But if you repent now while you still have breath in your body and believe in the Great God and Savoir Jesus Christ and joyfully submit and follow Him, then tomorrow is eternally guaranteed in a lifetime of knowing our Glorious God “face to face.”  If not and repentance is not birthed in our heart, then tomorrow will only bring you eternally away from the “presence” and glory of the Godman Jesus Christ, and then only darkness and fire will be your companions who will you see face to face. Therefore I say to all in light of this reality, throw yourselves at the foot of the CROSS of JESUS CHRIST, throw all your fears and hope ONLY IN THE MERCY found in JESUE CHRIST! For He is might to SAVE! Amen.

[1] I must add this thought.  The bible never says that God is not the author of evil.  Therefore, I do not try to defend that God is not, at least on the decreeing, willing, orchestrating and causing on the metaphysical level, because the bible without shames declares God to do so.(Isaiah 45:7 - Story of Job, David taking a census, the Killing of Ahab etc...)  But let me also say that God, of Himself with His direct Holy Spirit, tempts a Christian (James 1:13) or shines darkness in a persons heart for there is no darkness (James 1:17) in God to begin with.