TL;DR
- Trump signs executive order for federal voter lists.
- Mail ballots to be sent only to those on the lists.
- Legal experts predict court challenges to the order.
- Order aims to enforce voter ID and proof of citizenship.
- Concerns raised about federal overreach in state elections.
In a move that has many scratching their heads and others raising their eyebrows, President Donald Trump has decided to take another swing at controlling the American electoral process. On Tuesday, he signed an executive order aimed at creating federal lists of citizens, which would allow the United States Postal Service (USPS) to only send mail ballots to individuals on those lists. Yes, you heard that right. This is Trump’s second attempt to use executive authority to shape the country’s election rules since he retook office last year, and it’s already stirring up a storm of controversy.
As he put pen to paper in the Oval Office, Trump declared, “That’s a big deal,” while expressing confidence that the courts wouldn’t be able to overturn his latest decree. “I think this will help a lot with elections. We’d like to have voter ID. We’d like to have proof of citizenship, and that’ll be another subject for another time.” Sounds like he’s got a whole agenda lined up, doesn’t it?
The order directs the Department of Homeland Security to compile “state citizenship lists” using federal citizenship and naturalization records, Social Security records, and other federal databases. These lists would then be sent to the states to verify their voter rolls. But here’s the kicker: the USPS, which is already struggling with funding issues, is now being tasked with policing election mail as mandated by the order. Good luck with that!
Two familiar faces from the failed attempts to overturn the 2020 election—Kurt Olsen and Heather Honey—are reportedly involved in discussions surrounding this executive order. Olsen now serves as the director of election security and integrity at the White House, while Honey holds a senior position at the Department of Homeland Security. With such a team, one can only imagine the chaos that could ensue.
Election experts are already waving red flags, predicting that this order will be deemed unconstitutional faster than you can say “voter suppression.” David Becker, founder of the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation & Research, stated, “This will be blocked by the federal courts before the ink is dry.” He further emphasized that the Constitution clearly grants states the power to regulate mail ballots, effectively sidelining Trump’s latest power grab.
But wait, there’s more! Trump has been vocal about his desire to alter the voting process in the U.S., continuing to falsely claim that he won the 2020 election. “I won three times. I went three times convincingly,” he insisted after signing the order. Earlier this year, he even suggested that Republicans should nationalize elections in several areas, raising alarms among state election officials. “The Republicans should say: ‘We want to take over. We should take over the voting in at least — many, 15 places,’” he said in a podcast interview.
Let’s not forget that this isn’t Trump’s first rodeo. He signed a previous executive order last year attempting to impose documentary proof of citizenship requirements to register to vote, which was largely blocked by the courts. He’s also been pressuring Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which would impose new proof of citizenship and voter ID requirements. While the legislation passed the House, it’s currently stalled in the Senate, needing 60 votes to advance.
As the dust settles on this latest executive order, one thing is clear: the battle over voting rights in America is far from over. With legal challenges on the horizon and a divided political landscape, the implications of Trump’s actions will continue to unfold. Buckle up, folks, it’s going to be a bumpy ride!