• President Donald Trump vowed to eliminate mail-in voting and voting machines ahead of the 2026 midterms.
  • White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the plan, citing election integrity as Trump’s priority.
  • Democrats and voting-rights groups say the move is unconstitutional and would strip millions of Americans of ballot access.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TDR) — White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt faced sharp questions Tuesday over President Donald Trump’s vow to “eliminate” mail-in ballots and voting machines ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The remarks, made during a briefing at the White House, underscored the administration’s escalating push for sweeping changes to America’s voting system.

Reporters pressed Leavitt after Trump announced that he would sign an executive order targeting mail-in voting and ballot tabulation technology, both of which he has repeatedly claimed are rife with fraud. “President Trump says he plans to eliminate mail-in voting. States administer elections, not federal authorities. Can you provide more details about how the White House plans to eliminate that?” one reporter asked.

Leavitt responded cautiously, tying Trump’s remarks to broader discussions with lawmakers. “When Congress comes back to Washington, I’m sure there will be many discussions with our friends on Capitol Hill and also our friends in state legislatures to ensure that we’re protecting the integrity of the vote,” she said. She added that Trump “wants to make it easier for Americans to vote and harder for people to cheat in our elections,” while declining to offer specifics for legal reasons.

Trump’s Campaign Against Mail-In Voting

On Truth Social, Trump argued that mail-in ballots and voting machines undermine trust in elections. “I am going to lead a movement to get rid of MAIL-IN BALLOTS, and also, while we’re at it, Highly ‘Inaccurate,’ Very Expensive, and Seriously Controversial VOTING MACHINES,” Trump wrote. He claimed that only paper ballots with security watermarks would ensure that “there is no doubt at the end of the evening who won and who lost.”

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Trump added: “WE WILL BEGIN THIS EFFORT, WHICH WILL BE STRONGLY OPPOSED BY THE DEMOCRATS BECAUSE THEY CHEAT AT LEVELS NEVER SEEN BEFORE, by signing an EXECUTIVE ORDER to help bring HONESTY to the 2026 Midterm Elections.” He went further, insisting that states serve as “agents” of the federal government when counting votes, and must follow federal directives “for the good of our country.”

Historical Context and International Comparisons

Mail-in voting has long been a part of American democracy, dating back to the Civil War when Union soldiers were allowed to cast absentee ballots from the battlefield. Over the 20th century, absentee voting expanded to accommodate illness and travel, eventually leading states like Oregon, Colorado, and Washington to adopt all-mail elections.

Globally, the practice is commonplace. According to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, more than 60 countries allow mail-in voting. Germany and Switzerland have broad access to postal ballots, while France and Japan restrict the method largely to citizens abroad. In Canada, mail-in ballots are accessible to any registered voter through a nationwide program overseen by Elections Canada.

Democratic Pushback

Critics argue Trump’s proposal oversteps constitutional limits, since states control election administration. Marcus W. Robinson, a senior spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee, told Newsweek that Trump’s plan is “legally baseless” and “threatens the voting rights of millions of Americans, including military families and voters abroad.”

Voting-rights advocates also contend that eliminating mail-in voting would disenfranchise elderly citizens, people with disabilities, rural voters, and deployed service members who depend on absentee ballots. They point out that despite Trump’s claims, numerous studies and court rulings have found scant evidence of widespread fraud tied to mail-in ballots.

Looking Ahead

For Trump, the executive order is a symbolic rallying cry to his supporters who believe the 2020 election was compromised. For Democrats, it represents a constitutional clash over states’ rights and the scope of executive power. Legal challenges are inevitable, and with just over a year before ballots are cast in the midterms, both sides are preparing for a bruising political fight.

Is Trump’s effort a legitimate push for election integrity—or the opening salvo in a prolonged war on voting rights?

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