President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday aimed at implementing significant changes to U.S. elections, emphasizing the importance of voter integrity and proper election procedures. The order mandates that voters must show proof of American citizenship, limits mail-in ballots to those received by Election Day, and prohibits non-U.S. citizens from donating to certain elections.
Trump highlighted concerns over the current state of U.S. election processes, citing practices in countries like India and Brazil as examples of more robust election safeguards. "India and Brazil are tying voter identification to a biometric database, while the United States largely relies on self-attestation for citizenship," he noted. He also pointed to Germany and Canada, which require paper ballots for vote tabulation, contrasting that with the U.S. reliance on a range of methods that sometimes lack sufficient protections.
The executive order also criticizes the widespread use of mail-in ballots in the U.S., comparing it to countries like Denmark and Sweden, where mail-in voting is limited to those who cannot vote in person. Trump argued that the U.S. should follow suit and cease counting late-arriving ballots, particularly those without postmarks or those received after Election Day.
In his remarks, Trump stressed the importance of "free, fair, and honest elections unmarred by fraud, errors, or suspicion," calling them essential to maintaining the nation's constitutional republic. He also reiterated his concerns about election integrity, especially following his loss in the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election to Democrat Joe Biden, stating that "the right of American citizens to have their votes properly counted and tabulated, without illegal dilution, is vital to determining the rightful winner of an election."
Trump’s latest move signals a continued focus on reforming U.S. elections, with an emphasis on ensuring that they remain trustworthy and transparent.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)