• Trump plans to sign an executive order to ban mail-in ballots and voting machines.
• Claims mail-in voting fosters corruption and undermines democracy.
• Legal experts argue he lacks the authority to enforce such a ban.
• The move is politically motivated, aiming to curb Democratic advantages in elections.
• Trump's assertions regarding mail-in voting being unique to the US are misleading.

US President Donald Trump has announced intentions to lead a movement targeting mail-in ballots and voting machines ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, claiming these methods fuel "massive voter fraud" and erode confidence in the electoral process. Trump revealed plans to sign an executive order to eliminate what he describes as "highly inaccurate" and "controversial" voting machines while advocating for the use of traditional paper ballots with watermarks, asserting they provide faster and more reliable results, according to Indiatimes and Le Monde.

During a press event with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump reiterated his belief that mail-in voting primarily benefits Democrats, stating, "If you have mail-in voting, you’re not going to have many Democrats get elected." He characterized mail-in ballots as corrupt and insisted that the federal government must dictate the voting process to states for the "good of the country," a view disputed by legal experts who highlight the states' constitutional authority over elections, according to Dawn and CBS News.

Trump's claims about the prevalence of mail-in voting are inaccurate, as multiple countries, including Canada, Germany, and the UK, also utilize such systems for their elections. He asserted that the US is the "only country" using mail-in voting, a statement later retracted, highlighting a potential lack of understanding of international electoral practices, as noted by Reuters and BBC.

Despite his insistence on the need for an executive order to curtail mail-in ballots, legal experts argue that Trump lacks the constitutional authority to implement such a ban unilaterally, as only Congress and state legislatures can regulate federal elections. The push for an executive order is likely to incite legal disputes, especially from states that have successfully expanded mail-in voting, according to South China Morning Post and NPR.

In the 2024 elections, approximately 30% of voters submitted their ballots by mail, reflecting a significant decline from 2020 when the number reached 43% due to the pandemic. This shift must be acknowledged, particularly as Trump's rhetoric aligns more closely with a narrative aimed at rallying Republican opposition, potentially destabilizing the electoral landscape as the midterm elections approach, as reported by Indiatimes and The Hill.