President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order on Tuesday that mandates all individuals registering to vote in federal elections provide documented proof of U.S. citizenship. The order also enforces a hard deadline for ballot counting, requiring all ballots to be processed by the close of Election Day.
Trump said signing the order was “an honor” and reaffirmed his commitment to secure the integrity of the U.S. election system. He criticized prior administrations for failing to enforce election laws designed to prevent ineligible voting and ballot tampering.
🚨 POTUS signs an executive order on election integrity that includes the following provisions:
– Requires documentary, government-issued proof of U.S. citizenship on its voter registration forms.
– Conditions federal election-related funds on states complying with the integrity… pic.twitter.com/6A5zVdOAYn— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 25, 2025
The executive action directs the Election Assistance Commission to update the national voter registration form. All applicants will now need to include government-issued proof of citizenship such as a passport, REAL ID or qualifying military documentation.
BREAKING: Voting rights advocates say Trump's executive order requiring proof of citizenship 'could block millions from voting'
Isn't that the point? pic.twitter.com/vY2RlJHT7k
— TaraBull (@TaraBull808) March 26, 2025
It also empowers the attorney general to create partnerships with state election agencies to verify voter rolls and investigate election law violations. States that do not comply with the federal standards outlined in the order may lose access to federal funding earmarked for elections.
FREE, FAIR, and HONEST Elections.
“This will go a long way towards ending it [election fraud]. There are other steps we will be taking…We’ve got to straighten out our elections.” – @POTUS
🇺🇸 Proof of citizenship
🇺🇸 Prevent foreign interference
🇺🇸 Prosecute election crimes pic.twitter.com/nlftxgHCi5— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 25, 2025
In addition to tightening voter registration, the order blocks states from counting ballots that arrive after Election Day. Trump has long opposed the practice of late-arriving mail ballots, calling it a loophole that can be exploited to swing close races.
The order echoes language in the SAVE Act, a legislative proposal introduced by House Republicans. That bill would make citizenship proof a legal requirement nationwide for voter registration in federal elections.
Critics of the executive order say it could impact access to the ballot for some groups, but supporters argue it protects legitimate voters by keeping the election process limited to American citizens. Trump has promised further actions to strengthen election laws in the weeks ahead.
The directive comes as several states continue to battle in court over ballot deadlines, voter identification and registration policies.
