US President Donald Trump on Monday announced that he will lead a movement to end mail-in ballots and voting machines before the 2026 midterm elections, arguing they fuel “massive voter fraud” and erode trust in the electoral process.Sharing a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he plans to sign an executive order targeting what he called “highly inaccurate” and “controversial” voting machines, while pushing for a return to traditional paper ballots. He argued that traditional paper ballots with watermarks were faster, more reliable, and would leave “no doubt” about election outcomes.“I am going to lead a movement to get rid of MAIL-IN BALLOTS, and also, while we’re at it, Highly “Inaccurate,” Very Expensive, and Seriously Controversial VOTING MACHINES, which cost Ten Times more than accurate and sophisticated Watermark Paper, which is faster, and leaves NO DOUBT, at the end of the evening, as to who WON, and who LOST, the Election,” Trump posted.“We are now the only Country in the World that uses Mail-In Voting. All others gave it up because of the MASSIVE VOTER FRAUD ENCOUNTERED. WE WILL BEGIN THIS EFFORT, WHICH WILL BE STRONGLY OPPOSED BY THE DEMOCRATS BECAUSE THEY CHEAT AT LEVELS NEVER SEEN BEFORE, by signing an EXECUTIVE ORDER to help bring HONESTY to the 2026 Midterm Elections,” he added.Trump further claimed that states act merely as “agents” of the federal government in counting and tabulating votes, insisting they must follow presidential directives “for the good of the country.” He accused Democrats of relying on mail-in voting to remain competitive, pointing to what he called their “radical left” policies on immigration, gender issues, and social reforms, which he argued made them “virtually unelectable without using this completely disproven mail-in scam.”“With their HORRIBLE Radical Left policies, like Open Borders, Men Playing in Women’s Sports, Transgender and “WOKE” for everyone, and so much more, Democrats are virtually Unelectable without using this completely disproven Mail-In SCAM,” he said. Trump further accused his rivals of relying on a “mail-in scam” to win saying, “Elections can never be honest with mail-in ballots or voting machines, and everybody knows it, especially the Democrats.”He added that restoring “honesty and integrity” to the election system would be a core Republican goal going into the midterms.
What is mail-in voting?
Mail-in voting allows voters to cast ballots by post. It includes absentee ballots, typically reserved for voters unable to reach polling stations due to illness, travel, or other valid reasons, and mail-in ballots, which in many states can be requested by any eligible voter without providing a reason.Mail-in ballot: The actual ballot paper that you fill out and send back by mail under the mail-in voting system.
Why is Trump opposed to it?
Although mail-in voting has long existed in the US, Trump has repeatedly attacked it since the 2020 presidential election, claiming it enables large-scale fraud. Despite these claims, election officials and courts have found no evidence of widespread fraud linked to mail-in voting.
