The Actual Danger of Trump’s Phony Vote-by-Mail Executive Order

Key Points:

• President Donald Trump issued a second executive order on elections directing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to create a list of U.S. citizens over 18, which states would use to verify mail-in ballots via the Postal Service, though many details remain unclear.
• Legal experts predict the order will face multiple court challenges and likely be ruled unconstitutional, as the president lacks authority to unilaterally change election procedures or control state-run elections and the independent USPS.
• The order’s complex new rules and procedures would be nearly impossible to implement before the November elections, suggesting its main purpose is to create confusion, litigation, and undermine voter confidence in election integrity.
• Unlike a more extreme leaked draft, this order is a milder but still illegal attempt to sow chaos and promote election denialism, reinforcing false claims of widespread mail-in ballot fraud and casting doubt on the legitimacy of upcoming elections.
• The broader impact of Trump’s actions may be long-lasting, damaging democratic norms by eroding trust in elections and fostering political division, even if the executive order itself is short-lived.