- Trump's executive order required proof of citizenship for voter registration
- Legal experts and civil rights groups vowed to challenge the order in court
- Experts warned the order may disenfranchise millions of voters, calling it a power grab
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing stricter controls on federal elections, including requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration.
The move, which Trump argued was necessary to address what he claimed was a biased electoral system, quickly drew criticism from experts who warned it could disenfranchise millions of voters. Civil rights organisations also vowed to challenge the order in court.
Trump signs order requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration
The executive order was signed on Tuesday, March 25 with Trump, who remained in his second term, continuing to reject the results of the 2020 presidential election.
He maintained unsubstantiated claims of widespread election fraud, particularly regarding absentee voting, which has become increasingly common in the United States.
“Perhaps some people think I shouldn’t be complaining because we won in a landslide last November,” Trump said while signing the executive order at the White House.
“But we’ve got to straighten out our election. This country is so sick because of the election, the fake elections,” he added. “And we’re going to straighten it out, one way or the other.”
New executive order threatens federal funding for non-compliant states
The new order mandated that voters present proof of citizenship, such as a passport when registering to vote in their state of residence. States that failed to comply could face reductions in federal election funding.
The order also granted the attorney general the authority to take action against states that included absentee or mail-in ballots in the final vote tally if they were received after Election Day. Several states already allow such ballots if they are postmarked by Election Day.
Legal experts, including Richard Hasen, a law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, sharply criticised the order. He called it a “dangerous” executive action that could disenfranchise millions of voters.
Experts, civil rights groups condemn Trump’s order
Hasen described the directive as an “executive power grab,” noting that the responsibility for overseeing elections primarily lies with the states, with Congress setting the rules for their conduct.
The Brennan Center for Justice, a nonprofit public policy institute, condemned the executive order, asserting that it could block millions of eligible voters from participating in federal elections. The group posted on X, stating, “Presidents have no authority to do this.”
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) also denounced the order as an “extreme abuse of power” and pledged to take legal action, saying, “We’ll see him in court.”
Trump plans travel ban on 43 countries
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that President Donald Trump planned to impose a travel ban on 43 countries as part of an immigration crackdown.
The list was divided into red (full ban), orange (strict visa restrictions), and yellow (60-day review period).