### Trump Wants to Kill Mail Voting, But Congress Isn’t Listening
So, President Trump is at it again, pushing Congress to scrap mail-in voting as we know it. Yet, Republican lawmakers seem to be ignoring him. Shocking, I know.
For years, Trump has been sounding the alarm about mail-in voting, claiming, without much proof, that it’s crawling with fraud and was partly to blame for his 2020 defeat. Recently, while chatting with reporters on Air Force One, he reiterated his disdain: “Why would you want mail-in ballots if you know it’s corrupt? It’s a corrupt system.” Classic Trump, right?
But here’s the kicker: many Republicans don’t see it that way. A bunch of their voters have been using mail-in ballots for ages. The full-blown ban Trump wants? Yeah, that’s not exactly flying in Congress. Lawmakers are leaning towards a more nuanced approach. Take Rep. Mike Lawler from New York, who’s in a tight reelection race: “I support the use of mail-in voting,” he said. “Some states just mailing out ballots without requests is absurd, but the concept of mail-in balloting? I’m cool with that.”
Meanwhile, the House recently passed the SAVE America Act, which has all sorts of strict voter ID requirements but didn’t touch the mail-in voting issue. Even after Trump called for a crackdown just days before the vote, they opted to keep it out. According to sources, the White House tried to sneak in a mail-in voting ban, but that would risk losing Republican support and the whole bill could’ve gone down the drain.
And let’s not forget the White House website that still brags about “No Mail-in Ballots” being a feature of this bill. When asked about the contradiction, a spokesperson said Trump keeps urging Congress to pass the bill and crack down on mail-in voting.
Several House Republicans are sympathetic to Trump’s quest to limit mail ballots but are choosing their words wisely. Many hail from states like Florida, where mail-in voting is a staple and there’s little evidence of shenanigans. Ironically, while Trump is trying to restrict mail voting, the Republican National Committee is busy using it to boost turnout for the upcoming elections. Talk about a mixed message.
Some GOP members insist Trump is targeting states like California and Oregon, where mail voting is the norm. Others are highlighting exceptions for legitimate cases, like illness or military service. Rep. Cory Mills from Florida summed it up: “We have to be very cautious about mail-in-ballot voting. But if we get the registration process right, that’ll fix a lot of this.”
GOP Rep. Byron Donalds believes Florida’s mail-in laws should be the gold standard. He notes that voters have to request a mail-in ballot with ID, but Trump’s plan would impose much stricter limitations.
Another bill, the Make Elections Great Again Act, does touch on mail voting and aims to ban “ballot harvesting” but doesn’t restrict who can request a mail ballot. It’s more in line with what the majority of GOP lawmakers seem to want, and they claim that’s what Trump supports too.
Of course, Trump’s also aware of the uphill battle his election agenda faces in Congress. He’s even hinted at using executive action to enforce voter ID requirements and keep mail-in ballots at bay—unless you’re in the military or have a good excuse.
But for Republicans like Lawler, who’s up for reelection, the focus should be on getting people to vote. “Whether they vote by mail, early, or on Election Day, the goal is to get them out and vote,” he stated.
So, as the Republican Party grapples with Trump’s demands, one has to wonder: is the real strategy to ensure everyone votes, or just to keep Trump happy?
By Admin | Published: February 18, 2026 at 12:25 pm
