Overview

• Trump posted that he will require identification for every ballot and allow mail voting only for the very ill and overseas military, while urging paper ballots.
• He provided no text or timetable for the order, which follows a March executive action on proof of citizenship that was largely blocked by federal courts.
• Judges have previously ruled that regulating elections rests with states and Congress, and observers expect immediate lawsuits and injunction requests if a new order is issued.
• Voting-rights groups warn stricter ID and citizenship documentation could disenfranchise millions, citing research that the burdens fall heavily on minorities, seniors, students and low-income voters.
• As of 2025, 36 states require some form of voter ID, though requirements vary by state, and Trump has also advocated ending voting machines in favor of hand-counted paper ballots.