Trump advocates for mail and early voting despite historically opposing both

President Donald Trump urged Republicans in a pre-recorded video posted Saturday on Truth Social to vote in the midterms by whatever method works, including early and mail voting, which he has long opposed. He told supporters in states with early voting not to wait, according to CNN.

The appeal clashes with his record. Since returning to office he has sought to restrict mail voting, though courts have blocked many efforts. Last month the Supreme Court rejected sweeping limits stemming from his March executive order, after state election officials warned they lacked time to implement them. Trump then branded the system a "Nation Destroying SCAM." He has also pressed Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which faces bipartisan Senate opposition, and falsely claimed mail voting brings widespread fraud, yet he voted by mail himself in a March Florida special election.

He also invoked Swamp The Vote USA, a 2024 campaign program promoting absentee, mail-in and early voting, so the contradiction is not new. With a month left, over one million ballots have been cast, and in several states with key Senate or governor races, Democrats make up a larger share of ballot requesters than at this point in 2024.

Summarized by PolitiKool from CNN’s reporting. Read the full story at CNN →