On March 25, 2025, President Donald Trump put pen to paper, signing a sweeping executive order aimed at transforming how Americans vote in federal elections. Standing in the Oval Office, Trump declared it “an honor to sign this one,” touting the measure as a critical step toward ensuring “free, fair, and honest elections.” The order mandates that anyone registering to vote must provide government-issued proof of U.S. citizenship—like a passport, REAL ID, or military ID—and calls for all ballots to be reviewed by Election Day. But while Trump sees it as a victory for election integrity, critics are sounding the alarm, warning that it could strip millions of eligible voters of their rights.
The move comes as Trump continues to push claims of widespread voter fraud, a narrative he’s clung to since the 2020 election, despite winning back the presidency in 2024. He argues the U.S. has failed to enforce “basic and necessary election protections,” pointing to issues like noncitizen voting and late ballots. “This country is so sick because of the fake elections and the bad elections,” Trump said before signing. “We’re going to straighten it out one way or the other.” His order also threatens to withhold federal funding from states that don’t comply, a flex of executive muscle that’s raising eyebrows.
Supporters say it’s about time. The order aligns with efforts like the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a Republican-backed bill in Congress that also demands proof of citizenship for voting. They argue it’s a simple fix to keep noncitizens—already barred from federal elections—out of the process. “Free, fair, and honest elections unmarred by fraud, errors, or suspicion are fundamental to maintaining our constitutional Republic,” the order states. For Trump, it’s personal: he’s long railed against mail-in voting and lax rules, claiming they cost him in 2020.
But the backlash was swift. Election experts and voting rights advocates slammed the order as a power grab that could “disenfranchise tens of millions of American citizens,” according to the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU. They point out that only about half of Americans have passports, and other IDs like birth certificates—crucial for proving citizenship—aren’t even listed as options. “A whole lot of this is illegal,” said Sean Morales-Doyle, a voting rights lawyer at the Brennan Center. “Presidents have no authority to do this.” Critics also note there’s no evidence noncitizens vote in significant numbers—it’s already a crime with harsh penalties and a paper trail.
The order doesn’t stop at voter registration. It bans certain election equipment with QR codes, forcing states to shell out for new machines, and insists all mail-in ballots arrive by Election Day—overriding states that allow later arrivals if postmarked on time. It even tasks the Department of Government Efficiency with scouring voter rolls for “ineligible” voters, a move some fear could lead to purges of legitimate ones.
Legal challenges are all but guaranteed. The Constitution gives Congress and states—not the president—control over elections, experts say. “The president’s got almost no power over federal elections,” said Justin Levitt, a constitutional law scholar. “That’s by design.” Federal law already requires voters to swear they’re citizens under penalty of perjury, and courts have struck down similar state-level citizenship proof rules before.
For Trump, this is a legacy play—a chance to cement his mark on how America votes. He hinted at more to come, saying, “There are other steps that we will be taking in the coming weeks.” But for millions of voters who might struggle to dig up the right ID, it’s a potential roadblock to the ballot box. As the nation braces for courtroom battles and heated debates, one thing’s clear: Trump’s latest move has reignited the fight over who gets to vote—and who doesn’t—in America’s democracy.
