Trump signs first election executive order requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote

President Trump signs an executive order on March 25, 2025, directing states to require documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration and prohibiting the counting of mail ballots that arrive after Election Day even if postmarked in time. The order also directs the Election Assistance Commission to update the federal voter registration form to require citizenship documentation. Federal courts immediately block the major provisions, ruling that the president lacks constitutional authority to override the Elections Clause, which reserves power to regulate elections to state legislatures and Congress. The blocked provisions are appealed and the litigation becomes the direct predecessor to Trump's second mail-voting executive order a year later.