Trump Pushes Baseless Claims of ‘Rigged’ California Election, Promises ‘Criminal Review’ of Mail Ballots

On Election Day, President Donald Trump renewed claims of election fraud — this time targeting California’s mail voting system, calling it “rigged” and threatening a “legal and criminal review” of ballots being cast in the closely watched special election.

“The Unconstitutional Redistricting Vote in California is a GIANT SCAM in that the entire process, in particular the Voting itself, is RIGGED,” Trump posted on Truth Social Tuesday morning. “All ‘Mail-In’ Ballots, where the Republicans in that State are ‘Shut Out,’ is under very serious legal and criminal review. STAY TUNED!”

California’s Proposition 50 would temporarily shift the power to draw congressional districts from the state’s independent redistricting commission to the legislature — a change Democrats and voting rights advocates have argued is needed to counter GOP gerrymanders nationwide.

The president’s post amplified his long-running campaign against mail voting to undermine confidence in Democratic-led elections.

In California, where every registered voter automatically receives a mail ballot, mail voting is widely used by voters across parties. Officials verify every mail ballot through signature matching, barcode tracking and post-election audits — procedures that have been upheld by both Democratic and Republican election administrators.

The president’s post echoes the same baseless fraud claims from the 2020 election.

Hours after Trump’s post, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt fielded questions on the topic in a tense briefing. She stood by the president’s statements and repeated unfounded allegations about California’s elections.

“It’s absolutely true that there are [sic.] fraud in California’s elections. It’s just a fact,” Leavitt told reporters. “Fraudulent ballots that are being mailed in, in the names of other people, in the names of illegal aliens who shouldn’t be voting in American elections. There’s countless examples, and we’d be happy to provide them.”

No evidence was provided during the briefing. When asked for evidence, Leavitt again responded, “it’s just a fact.”

Leavitt did confirm that the administration is considering further executive action on elections.

“The White House is working on an executive order to strengthen our elections in this country, and to ensure that there cannot be blatant fraud, as we’ve seen in California, with their universal mail-in voting system,” Leavitt added. “Like any executive order, of course, any executive order the president signs is within his full executive authority and within the confines of the law.”

Trump’s comments arrive amid a national Republican effort to restrict voting by mail. Since 2020, GOP-led legislatures in Georgia, Texas, Florida and other states have passed laws tightening absentee ballot rules, limiting drop boxes and imposing new ID or signature requirements.