Trump says mail in ballots used to ‘cheat’ – days after urging supporters to ‘change our thinking’ on voting method

Trump has repeatedly criticised mail-in ballots since 2020

Former president Donald Trump returned to his old position that mail-in ballots are used to “cheat” after he had previously told his supporters that they needed to “change our thinking” about the voting practice.

The former president criticised the use of mail-in ballots on his networking platform Truth Social.

“The Democrats used Covid inspired Mail In Ballots to CHEAT,” he said. “Even Jimmy Carter’s Commission said that Mail In Ballots will lead to massive cheating, which they they have. France, and others, gave up on them — MASSIVE FRAUD. Now they are using PROSECUTORS to CHEAT — No shame. They are the lowest of the low!”

The former president repeatedly criticised mail-in votig throughout the 2020 presidential election, despite the fact he voted by mail himself. Republicans have historically preferred using mail-in ballots, but Mr Trump’s critiques have led to many more Republicans opposing the practice.

Mr Trump’s words come despite the fact that earlier this month, he said Republicans should embrace mail-in voting after Democrats used the practice in the 2022 midterm election.

“Republicans must compete using every lawful means to win,” Mr Trump said when he gave the closing speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference recently. “That means swamping the left with mail-in votes, early votes & Election Day votes. Have to do it. We have to change our thinking because some bad things happened.”

The former president has previously called for Republicans to revert to handmarked paper ballots and to reduce early voting.

“We used to have paper ballots,” he said in a rally in Davenport, Iowa, earlier this month. “We didn't have mail-in you know, mail them in anytime you want.”

Mr Trump has also called for requiring an identification card to vote.

During his rally in Waco, Texas, he repeated his lies that Democrats stole the 2020 presidential election from him.