Trump signs executive order to tighten voting rules

The order requires voters to provide proof of citizenship and prevents states from accepting mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day, even if they were sent on time. Trump said the goal is to combat “election fraud” and warned that states failing to comply risk losing access with federal funding.

“Election fraud. You’ve heard the term. We’re going to end it, hopefully. At least this will go a long way toward ending it,” Trump said as he signed the order on Tuesday.

The order claims the U.S. has failed to enforce “basic and necessary election protections.” However, critics argue that the move could disenfranchise millions of eligible voters, especially those without easy access to documents like passports or birth certificates. While it is already illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections, experts note that actual cases of illegal voting are extremely rare.

Election law specialists also question the legality of the order. U.S. states control how elections are run, and past attempts to impose federal voter ID laws have failed. Legal challenges are expected. Critics also see the order as part of Trump’s ongoing effort to question election integrity, despite no evidence of widespread fraud in past elections. The executive order is likely to be debated and tested in court.

Earlier, it was reported that President Donald Trump issued an executive order to stop U.S. taxpayer funding of what he called “radical propaganda.” The move, announced in a White House article, comes amid concerns over the editorial direction of the government-funded Voice of America (VOA).