President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he plans to request Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and the Justice Department investigate Maryland’s mail-in voting system, claiming in a Truth Social post that the state sent out “500,000 Illegal Mail-In Ballots.”
Trump did not specify whether his allegations pertain to ballots, ballot applications, or voter outreach materials connected to Maryland elections.
A spokesperson for Maryland Governor Wes Moore declined to immediately respond to requests for comment on Trump’s remarks.
Maryland allows no-excuse mail voting, meaning registered voters can request a mail ballot without providing a reason.
During the 2020 election cycle, the state mailed absentee ballot request forms to voters amid the COVID-19 pandemic, similar to steps taken by several other states at that time.
Trump has continued to criticize expanded mail voting systems since the 2020 election, arguing they increase the risk of fraud and election irregularities.
Election officials in multiple states, along with federal agencies and numerous court rulings, have found no evidence of widespread fraud that would have changed the outcome of the 2020 presidential race.
These comments come as Trump’s administration and Republican allies push for tighter election security measures ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, including increased scrutiny of voter rolls, absentee voting procedures, and noncitizen voting safeguards.
