Two facts are certain about this story. The first is that a legal challenge will definitely be filed, since that’s what liberals do in every situation under the Trump administration. The second is that this is a strong response to states that are hesitating and withholding their voter rolls. Postmaster General David Steiner clearly stated this week to several Democratic states resisting President Trump’s order on this issue that if they don’t provide those voter rolls, they won’t receive mail-in ballots. Trump’s order guarantees that such ballots are only sent to eligible voters, and we all know how Democrats feel about that (via Post Millennial):
NEWS: The U.S. Postmaster General David Steiner has confirmed that the U.S. Postal Service will NOT deliver mail-in ballots in states that refuse to provide lists of eligible voters requesting them, under a newly proposed rule tied to President Trump’s March 2026 executive order… pic.twitter.com/AxQr1366rV
— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) June 25, 2026
🚨 JUST IN: Democrats are RAGING after the US Postmaster General confirmed he's BLOCKING mail-in ballots to states who refuse to share citizenship status and voter data with the Trump admin
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) June 25, 2026
Good! NO CHEATING. 🔥
A judge is trying to BLOCK the order, but the administration is… pic.twitter.com/tLrNNmQG0i
The US Postal Service General said Wednesday that states refusing to comply with a presidential order requiring the submission of voter information could have their mail-in ballots halted.
During a Senate hearing testimony, Postmaster General David Steiner defended the administration’s position, saying the US Postal Service was not being politicized and that compliance with the proposed requirements would determine whether ballots are processed.
Senator Gary Peters questioned Steiner, saying, “If a state refuses to turn their absentee voter list over to the federal government, will the Postal Service still mail their ballots under this proposed rule?”
Under our proposed regulation, no,” Steiner replied. “We would tell the state that we need the manifest."
The plan stems from an executive order signed by President Donald Trump titled "Ensuring Citizen Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections," which directs federal agencies to coordinate on verifying lists of eligible US citizens for mail-in voting. The order instructs the USPS to only send absentee ballots to voters included on those approved lists, and calls for expanded ballot tracking requirements.
Let the games begin.
UPDATE: A federal judge struck down key portions of Trump's order (via NYT):
A federal court in Massachusetts struck down crucial components of an executive order from President Trump that sought to place significant restrictions on mail voting as “unlawful, null, and void.” The order had, in part, tried to use federal oversight of the U.S. Postal Service to regulate mail voting.
The ruling from Judge Indira Talwani amounted to a broad rejection of the Trump administration’s attempts to change federal election procedures through an executive order, repeatedly emphasizing that the Constitution grants authority over elections not to the executive branch but to individual states and Congress.
“The Constitution does not grant the President any specific powers over elections,” Judge Talwani wrote, adding emphasis by underlining the words “does not.”
More than 20 Democratic attorneys general representing states across the country brought the legal challenge in federal court in Massachusetts.