Topics: Donald Trump, News, Politics, US News, Social Media
Donald Trump has been condemned by experts this week after making a series of false claims about election protocols in the United States.
According to CNN, in a fiery new warning shared on Truth Social, the Republican not only promised to axe the process of mailing-in ballots, but incorrectly stated that states must follow elections in line with how he tells them to.
"I am going to lead a movement to get rid of MAIL-IN BALLOTS," 79-year-old Trump penned earlier today (18 Aug).
"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."
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Firstly, as a horde of other news outlets have pointed out, dozens of other countries use postal votes during elections, including the UK, Germany, Australia, Switzerland and Canada.
"WE WILL BEGIN THIS EFFORT, WHICH WILL BE STRONGLY OPPOSED BY THE DEMOCRATS BECAUSE THEY CHEAT AT LEVELS NEVER SEEN BEFORE," Trump went on to pledge. "By signing an EXECUTIVE ORDER to help bring HONESTY to the 2026 Midterm Elections."
Secondly, his assertions about cheating on the part of the Democratic party has no viable basis, as per ABC.
"…Democrats are virtually Unelectable without using this completely disproven Mail-In SCAM," The right-wing leader also claimed. "ELECTIONS CAN NEVER BE HONEST WITH MAIL IN BALLOTS/VOTING, and everybody, IN PARTICULAR THE DEMOCRATS, KNOWS THIS."
Lastly, Trump added: "Remember, the States are merely an ‘agent’ for the Federal Government in counting and tabulating the votes.
"They must do what the Federal Government, as represented by the President of the United States, tells them, FOR THE GOOD OF OUR COUNTRY, to do."
Again, as pointed out by CNN, the US Constitution rules: "The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators."
As such, unless Congress has set a law pre-empting states will set their own policies on elections, the President has no power to change them himself.
Unsurprisingly, Trump's seemingly empty threats haven't gone down too well with a number of critics - several of whom have since taken to social media to allege that he is once again changing the rules to fit his own agenda.
"Trump must have had a bad night," one wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Spewing lies about elections. Again.
"Every American citizen has a right to vote, Each state runs its own election. We don’t owe the president."
They continued: "It’s the president who owes us a duty to take care that the laws are faithfully executed."
Another user hit out: "LOL, even Russia uses mail-in voting. At this point I can't tell if he's lying or if he is so far gone that he actually believes this. It's clear though that he is planning to cheat in the 2026 midterms."
"Show me the law about mail-in ballots and elections lasting weeks and months," a third continued. "I'll wait."
A fourth went on to point out: "He can sign whatever he wants but the fact is, he has no authority over the way, states run their elections. None.
"That goes for Presidential Elections as well as local ones."
