2:34President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One in the air on August 15, 2025, en route to Anchorage.Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
On Monday, President Donald Trump announced in a message on his social media platform that he intends to spearhead a "movement" aimed at eliminating mail-in ballots and voting machines, asserting, without presenting proof, that they contribute to electoral fraud.
"I will lead a movement to abolish MAIL-IN BALLOTS, and in addition, we should also eliminate Highly 'Inaccurate,' Extremely Costly, and Deeply Controversial VOTING MACHINES, which are ten times more expensive than reliable and advanced Watermark Paper, which is quicker, and eliminates any uncertainty by the end of the night regarding who has WON and who has LOST the Election," Trump stated in his social media message.
Trump indicated that he will initiate his campaign by signing an executive order prior to the 2026 midterm elections. Such an order would likely encounter legal obstacles.
"Keep in mind, the States merely act as an 'agent' for the Federal Government in counting and tabulating the votes. They must comply with what the Federal Government, as represented by the President of the United States, instructs them to do, FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR NATION," Trump expressed.
Later on Monday, while welcoming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, Trump addressed a question regarding his earlier statements, asserting that the Republican Party was "determined to do everything in its power to eliminate mail-in ballots."
"We are going to commence with an executive order that is currently being drafted by the finest attorneys in the country to put an end to mail-in ballots because they are corrupt," Trump remarked.
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One in the air on August 15, 2025, en route to Anchorage.Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
He also conveyed a clear message to his fellow Republicans to align with his viewpoint.
“It’s time for the Republicans to toughen up and put a stop to it, because the Democrats desire it. It’s the only way they can achieve election,” Trump commented.
Trump’s remarks are at odds with initiatives undertaken during the 2024 election by his own party, which promoted the use of mail-in and early voting to encourage voter turnout.
The Constitution empowers state legislatures to determine the "times, places and manner" of conducting elections, subject to federal legislation that governs the process.
Trump has consistently expressed skepticism about mail-in voting, often against the views of many Republicans. He has alleged that mail-in voting played a role in his 2020 electoral defeat, despite no evidence of widespread fraud being found.
Mail-in voting has become increasingly prevalent, and research indicates that instances of fraud in mail ballot voting are infrequent. Additionally, several safeguards are in place to prevent fraud, including signature verification and tracking barcodes on envelopes sent by officials.
The president’s message follows Trump stating to Fox News that he discussed mail-in voting in the U.S. with Russia’s Vladimir Putin. During their meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, last week, Putin asserted that Russia’s conflict with Ukraine would not have occurred if Trump had been president.
"Vladimir Putin, a clever individual, said you can’t have a fair election with mail-in voting," Trump informed Fox News’ Sean Hannity in an interview following Friday’s summit.
Trump further noted that Putin "claimed there isn’t a nation in the world that currently employs it" — although Russia itself does utilize mail-in voting.
The outcome of Russia’s 2024 presidential election, which resulted in a significant victory for Putin, was condemned by numerous Western countries as lacking freedom and fairness. The U.S. State Department stated it had "occurred in an atmosphere of intense political suppression that has marginalized or entirely silenced all independent voices."
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
