Trump Threatens “Maximum Criminal Penalties” in Possible Attempt to Suppress Votes

Voter fraud is essentially nonexistent in the United States, but voter intimidation is real.

Frank Mattia/ZUMA

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.

On the eve of the midterm elections, President Donald Trump said he had ordered law enforcement officials to monitor the virtually nonexistent problem of voter fraud, warning that “maximum criminal penalties” would be leveled against anyone found attempting to cast a ballot illegally.

The threat Monday resurrects a favorite talking point for Trump, who has repeatedly and falsely claimed that “millions of people” voted illegally in the 2016 election. After creating a voter fraud commission to investigate the baseless assertion, the president abruptly shut it down in January amid bipartisan opposition to its efforts, which included demanding every state turn over sensitive voter data.

The president’s announcement Monday is unlikely to lead authorities to catch many people voting fraudulently, but it could intimidate voters who are uncertain of their registration status into staying home. It comes amid national attention on several closely watched races, including gubernatorial contests in Kansas and Georgia, where Republicans have been accused of implementing widespread voter suppression efforts aimed at depressing the minority vote.

Directly before his “illegal voting” warning Monday, Trump told Republicans not to “fall for the Suppression Game,” in a tweet that also attacked the media. It wasn’t entirely clear what he meant by the tweet. 

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate