President Donald Trump set off alarm bells across the political spectrum with a shocking early-morning post, vowing to ban mail-in voting and voting machines in future elections, and declaring that states must follow his orders.
In a fiery early morning post on Truth Social, Trump declared: “I am going to lead a movement to get rid of mail-in ballots, and also, while we’re at it, highly inaccurate, very expensive, and seriously controversial voting machines,” Trump ranted on Truth Social. He called them “a complete and total disaster” and blamed both for his 2020 loss — a claim Russian President Vladimir Putin allegedly fed him.
This is nothing new from Trump, who has repeatedly pushed false claims that mail-in ballots are fraudulent. But his latest post goes a step further — openly stating that he’ll use presidential power to take control of how states run elections.
“Remember, the states are merely an ‘agent’ for the federal government in counting and tabulating the votes; they must do what the federal government, as represented by the president of the United States, tells them,” Trump posted.
That line set off alarm bells.
“This is step one in how we lose free and fair elections,” warned historian Garrett Graff. He added that while Trump might not cancel elections outright, forcing only in-person voting could open the door to intimidation tactics like ICE checkpoints or military presence near polling places.
Legal experts quickly pointed out Trump’s claims are flat-out wrong.
“Trump must have had a bad night,” said MSNBC legal analyst Joyce White Vance. “Spewing lies about elections. Again. Every American citizen has a right to vote. Each state runs its own election. We don’t owe the president. It’s the president who owes us a duty to take care that the laws are faithfully executed.”
“He’s completely wrong,” added one user on Bluesky. “It’s a bottom-up system. Feds run zero elections.”
Former FBI agent Asha Rangappa didn’t mince words: “States are not ‘agents’ of the federal government when it comes to federal elections and the President literally has nothing to do with how they administer them.”
Voting rights attorney Marc Elias called Trump’s declaration exactly what it is: “Donald Trump announces he will issue an unconstitutional and illegal executive order purporting to ban mail-in voting and certain voting equipment for the 2026 midterm election.”
“This is a major step to prevent free and fair elections,” Elias added.
Even Trump’s own voting habits came under fire.
“Trump votes by mail,” noted user Grudgie the Whale. “He knows better than anyone he’s lying his a– off. It’s as simple as: he’s going to try and suppress enough votes to steal elections.”
National security expert Alexander Vindman saw something even more dangerous: foreign influence. “After a meeting with Putin, where Putin questioned the legitimacy of mail-in ballots, Trump launches a campaign to end mail-in. I don’t think many people understand how easy it is to puppeteer Trump.”
Critics also slammed the practical implications of Trump’s plan.
“If you don’t have mail-in ballots, and you don’t have voting machines, what? 150 million people cast paper ballots in person and then we hand count them?” asked historian Joshua Zeitz.
Writer Suzanne Minarcine pointed out the obvious: “If mail-in ballots are ended, what about the deployed military? Students studying abroad? Homebound elderly? This is one more attack on our voting rights.”
With his latest post, Trump has made it clear — he’s not just questioning the system. He’s aiming to take it over. And many believe it’s all part of the same plan: to cast doubt, change the rules, and win at any cost.
“He’s going to try and suppress enough votes to steal elections,” one user said. It’s a warning more people are starting to take seriously.
