Aiming to eliminate voter fraud and restore trust in U.S. elections, President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday that enforces a new requirement: proof of citizenship must be shown when registering to vote in federal races.
The order instructs federal agencies to revise the voter registration process, ensuring that only citizens with qualifying documents — such as U.S. passports or official military IDs — can register for federal elections. States that refuse to comply may lose eligibility for federal election-related funding.
🚨 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
Trump said the executive order responds to years of lax enforcement that have allowed vulnerabilities in the system to grow. He stated that the country needs “fair elections” and promised additional steps would be announced in the coming weeks.
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
Another major component of the order is a requirement that all ballots be received and reviewed by Election Day. It targets practices that allow ballots to be counted after that date, which Trump has consistently opposed.
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
The Justice Department has also been directed to set up partnerships with states to improve election security, focusing on identifying individuals ineligible to vote and prosecuting violations of federal law. The order lays out a framework for ongoing collaboration between federal and state authorities.
Civil rights groups and left-leaning organizations quickly attacked the order, arguing it could block legal voters from registering. The Brennan Center called it an effort to suppress votes, though the administration maintains that citizenship requirements are already part of U.S. law and should be enforced more thoroughly.
The SAVE Act, now under consideration in Congress, proposes similar measures. Trump’s executive action puts immediate pressure on states to comply with federal standards while lawmakers weigh additional permanent changes.
