On Friday, President Donald Trump shared that he will require voter identification in the upcoming midterm elections “whether approved by Congress or not.”
This has signalled that he may issue an executive order making it mandatory for voters to show their ID if lawmakers fail to act. In a carousel of social media posts, Trump warned that he would act unilaterally if necessary.
“If we can’t get it through Congress, there are Legal reasons why this SCAM is not permitted. I will be presenting them shortly, in the form of an Executive Order,” he wrote in one Truth Social post.
In another post, he added, “There will be Voter I.D. for the Midterm Elections, whether approved by Congress or not!” Indeed, the President is affirming with his decision and made sure to deliver the news to everyone.
Omg look what Trump just posted:
“There will be voter I.D. for the Midterm Elections, whether approved by Congress or not!”
This is what I voted for. pic.twitter.com/SjGEIuh7l4
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) February 13, 2026
As per NBC News, Trump has repeatedly urged Republicans to “nationalize” and “take over” the administration of elections. However, the U.S. Constitution gives states primary authority over how federal elections are run.
It states that “the times, places, and manner of holding elections for senators and representatives, shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof,” though Congress may pass laws that alter those rules.
Recently, the president has been continuously urging Congress to approve the SAVE America Act. It would require voters to show photo identification and impose stricter rules on mail-in ballots nationwide. The House passed the bill on Wednesday, with all Republicans voting in favour. On the other hand, Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas was the only Democrat to support it.
However, the tough part has now begun, as it moves to the Senate, where it faces steep odds. Most legislation requires 60 votes to overcome a filibuster. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has already declared the bill “dead on arrival in the Senate.” He called it an attempt to impose “Jim Crow-type laws on the entire country.”
🚨 BREAKING: President Trump announces VOTER ID *WILL* be federally mandated in the 2026 midterms, with or without the SAVE America Act
LET’S GO! 🔥🔥🔥
“The Democrats refuse to vote for Voter I.D., or Citizenship. The reason is very simple — They want to continue to cheat in… pic.twitter.com/4DTOUThKFr
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 13, 2026
Under the SAVE America Act, voters would need to present documentary proof of citizenship in person when registering to vote in federal elections. Acceptable documents could include a U.S. passport or a birth certificate. Democrats argue that such requirements could disenfranchise eligible voters, especially seniors, low-income Americans, and minority communities.
Moreover, they said that voting by noncitizens is already illegal and widely considered rare. Current federal law requires voters to attest under oath that they are citizens, with criminal penalties for false claims.
Legal scholars have questioned whether Trump has the authority to enforce voter ID rules through executive action. Nate Persily, a law professor at Stanford University, said an order mandating changes to state election procedures would likely violate the Constitution.
“The Constitution is clear on this,” Persily said. “There are a lot of things where it’s ambiguous, but it doesn’t give unilateral regulatory authority for elections to the president.”
Trump previously attempted to change voting rules through executive action. In March, he signed an order seeking to require proof of citizenship at voter registration and set new mail-in ballot deadlines.
In January, a federal judge issued a permanent injunction blocking that order, ruling that the president lacks authority to alter election procedures unilaterally.
In short, as the midterms approach, the feud between federal authority and state control over elections is rapidly growing.
