Trump requested his mail-in ballot 1 day before publicly opposing USPS funding due to mail-in voting
President Trump and first lady Melania Trump requested mail-in ballots Wednesday for Florida's primary next Tuesday, according to the Palm Beach County elections website. This would be the second time Trump has voted by mail in Florida this year. On Thursday, Trump told Fox Business News he opposes new funding for the U.S. Postal Service because that would allow for the expected surge in mail-in voting, which he sometimes opposes.
The Trumps missed the deadline for their ballots to be mailed, so they will have been delivered to Trump's private club in Palm Beach, Mar-a-Lago, then delivered to the White House. To be counted, the ballots have to be returned to the Palm Beach County election office before 7 p.m. Tuesday. "There’s no word from the White House if they are entrusting the task to the recently maligned U.S. Postal Service," The Palm Beach Post notes wryly.
Trump has been railing against mail-in voting for months, claiming falsely that widespread vote-by-mail will be riddled with fraud. He did make an exception for Florida, though, tweeting last week that Floridians should request mail-in ballots. Florida's "state Republican Party happens to have a very robust and long-term vote by mail program — which, I'm sure, was in danger because Trump has now convinced a number of rank-and-file Republicans that voting by mail is bad," Politico politics editor Scott Bland said Thursday. In fact, "Trump doesn't seem to actually have anything against mail balloting, except that it seems in this election to be something that's important to Democrats."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"We’ve been talking for months about how big a role mail balloting was going to have to play in the 2020 general election," Bland noted. "The idea that the Postal Service potentially wouldn't be able to handle it is a fairly recent development — and that being a result of policy changes by Trump appointees and, as Trump said, a lack of new funding, is pretty remarkable."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
How is aid getting into Gaza right now?
Today's Big Question The international effort to provide Palestinians with essentials during wartime has become a Gordian knot of logistics
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
The lows of an unregulated high: Teens are using marijuana alternative delta-8
In the Spotlight More than 1 in 10 high school seniors have reported using the substance, which contains concentrated THC
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Michigan shooter's dad guilty of manslaughter
speed read James Crumbley failed to prevent his son from killing four students at Oxford High School in 2021
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Russians start to vote in election Putin will win
speed read Putin's opponents are mostly in prison, exiled or dead
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Schumer slams Netanyahu, calls for new leader
speed read The senator — one of Israel's most avid supporters — criticized the country's handling of the Gaza war
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
South Dakota governor sued over Texas dentist promo
speed read Gov. Kristi Noem posted a video testimonial that may have been an "undisclosed advertisement"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Hur defends description of Biden's 'poor memory'
speed read Former special counsel Robert Hur defended disparaging remarks made about Biden's age in his report
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Pentagon's surprise $300M for Ukraine
speed read The Pentagon is giving $300 million worth of military aid to Ukraine, mostly for ammunition
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden, Trump clinch nominations
speed read The current and former president have each secured enough delegates for an election rematch
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Haiti leader agrees to exit amid growing chaos
speed read Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced his resignation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump allies fold RNC into Trump campaign
speed read The new leaders of the Republican National Committee fired more than 60 of the RNC's 200 employees
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published