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President Donald Trump signed an executive order in the Oval Office on Tuesday concerning election requirements, including proof of citizenship and that all ballots must be received by Election Day.
The order seeks to increase election integrity and to limit federal elections to American citizens.
“Free, fair, and honest elections unmarred by fraud, errors, or suspicion are fundamental to maintaining our constitutional Republic. The right of American citizens to have their votes properly counted and tabulated, without illegal dilution, is vital to determining the rightful winner of an election,” the order stated.
The order also addressed concerns related to potential foreign interference through noncitizen voting.
“This type of foreign interference in our election process undermines the franchise and the right of American citizens to govern their Republic,” the order stated. “Above all, elections must be honest and worthy of the public trust. That requires voting methods that produce a voter-verifiable paper record allowing voters to efficiently check their votes to protect against fraud or mistake. Election-integrity standards must be modified accordingly.”
The order closely aligns with provisions in the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a measure backed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
“Only U.S. citizens should vote in U.S. elections, and the Democrats apparently don’t agree with that,” Johnson said during a weekly House Republican Leadership press conference in September. “When we put [the SAVE Act] on the floor in July, 198 House Democrats voted against it. Well, we’re going to give them another opportunity.”
He added the need to focus on funding the government and safeguarding elections.
“I believe that we can fund the government responsibly, and I believe that we can do right by the American people and ensure the security of our elections,” Johnson said. “I defy anybody to give me any logical argument why we shouldn’t do that.”
The bill was reintroduced this year after failing to advance in the Democrat-controlled Senate in 2024.
The move, expected to face legal challenges from voting rights groups, reflects Trump’s longstanding stance on election security. He has repeatedly claimed that the 2020 presidential election was marred by widespread voter fraud and has opposed certain voting methods, particularly mail-in ballots, which he argues are vulnerable to fraud.
After signing the order, Trump indicated that additional election-related measures would be announced in the coming weeks.