Trump Discusses Mail-in Voting After Putin Meeting

On Monday, President Trump shared plans to address mail-in voting, prompted by comments from Russian leader Vladimir Putin during a recent meeting in Alaska.

He didn’t go into much detail but mentioned on social media that he intended to “lead the move to get rid of mail-in votes.” He described this voting method as “very inaccurate, very expensive, and very controversial.”

Previously, in March, Trump issued an executive order instructing the Justice Department to take measures to prevent mail-in ballots received after Election Day from being counted. The order also aimed to enforce proof of citizenship for voter registration.

Some components of this executive action were blocked by the courts due to constitutional issues. Nonetheless, a provision directing the independent US Election Assistance Commission to modify guidelines for voting machines, which would ban certain barcodes and quick response codes, is permitted and continues.

The US Constitution states that the specifics of elections—timing, location, and method—are determined by local authorities in each state, with Congress having the power to alter state election laws. The President doesn’t have the authority to dictate or control election procedures.

Trump claimed that his actions followed Putin’s suggestion concerning his loss in the 2020 election.

US intelligence has assessed that Putin attempted to sway the last three presidential elections in favor of Trump.

“Vladimir Putin shared a rather interesting thought—he mentioned that ‘Your election was compromised because of mail-in votes,'” Trump recalled in an interview with Fox News.

Since entering the political arena in 2015, Trump has often criticized mail-in voting. Yet his campaign has accepted it as a practice leading up to the 2024 election, urging supporters, particularly those affected by Hurricane Helen in North Carolina, to utilize mail-in voting options.

“Absentee voting, early voting, and Election Day voting are all valid choices,” Trump noted. I said it back then. “Republicans need to plan, register, and vote!”