Donald Trump has described voting by mail as 'cheating' at an event in Memphis, Tennessee, just days after casting a mail-in ballot himself. The US president made the remarks during a roundtable on his administration's crime taskforce on Monday, calling the practice 'mail-in cheating'.
Records show Trump voted by mail in the special election for Florida's House district 87, which includes his Mar-a-Lago club. He endorsed Republican candidate Jon Maples against Democrat Emily Gregory. Trump chose to mail his ballot despite being in Palm Beach, where early in-person voting was available until Sunday evening.
Trump has repeatedly made baseless claims that mail-in voting is subject to widespread fraud, urging Senate Republicans to pass restrictive voting legislation. The proposed bill would require proof of US citizenship for new voters and ban most mail-in ballots. Election experts say such attacks undermine trust in the democratic process, noting that extensive checks and balances exist to prevent fraud.
White House spokesperson Olivia Wales called Trump's mail-in vote 'a non-story', stating that the SAVE America Act allows exceptions for illness, disability, military service, or travel. She added that Trump primarily resides in Washington, D.C., but is a registered voter in Palm Beach. This is not the first time Trump has voted by mail; he did so during the 2020 presidential primary despite alleging Democrats were trying to 'steal' the election via mail-in ballots.
