Trump noted that not even one per cent of voters in India used postal ballots in the recent general elections, and every voter had a valid photo identity document.
Washington:
US President Donald Trump has cited India’s election system and voter identification requirements as he renewed his call for the passage of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, which seeks stricter citizenship requirements to vote in US elections.
Taking to his Truth Social platform, Trump recalled that India’s Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, recently asked the US administration about why elections in America are held without a valid photo identification card, as he made a case for mandatory photo IDs for every US voter to curb “electoral fraud”.
Trump noted that not even one per cent of voters in India used postal ballots in the recent general elections, and every voter had a valid photo identity document.
“Earlier this month, India’s Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, asked our Administration — How can you have Elections in the US without a valid Photo ID,” Trump wrote.
Trump made these remarks to drum up support for the SAVE America Act, which would require Americans to show proof of citizenship to register to vote, impose a nationwide voter identification requirement and severely limit voting by mail.
“India’s last election had 646,000,000 voters! Less than one per cent voted by mail, and every single Voter had to have a VALID Photo Identity Document.” “We need to pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, now,” he asserted.
Sergio Gor Backs Trump
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor endorsed President Donald Trump’s renewed push for strict nationwide voter identification laws under the SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) America Act.
Citing India’s 2024 general election as a global benchmark for voter authentication, Gor backed Trump’s stance that robust, universal photo identification is essential for maintaining election integrity and to revamp American election procedures by explicitly pointing to the scale and mechanics of India’s voting system.
In a post on X, Gor said, “President Donald J. Trump is absolutely correct! 646 MILLION voters, every single one required an ID in India’s last election. Congress should pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT!”
About the SAVE America Act
The Republican leader has been insisting on passing the SAVE America Act, claiming the move would curb electoral fraud. The Bill to pass the law was introduced on January 29. However, both Democrats and Republicans are divided over the issue, and the US Senate adjourned for a five-week recess earlier this month without any concrete steps for its passage.
According to the White House, the legislation is aimed at ensuring that only US citizens participate in deciding federal elections.
“American citizens — and only American citizens — should decide American elections,” the White House said, describing the SAVE America Act as a “common sense, bipartisan bill.”
The White House said the proposed legislation would require voters to provide valid identification before registering to vote in a federal election, along with proof of citizenship.
It also proposes restrictions on mail-in ballots, allowing them only in cases involving illness, disability, military service or travel. The White House said the Act would direct states to remove non-citizens from voter rolls.
“If you want to register to vote in the United States, you have to be a citizen in the United States,” the White House said.
The administration also compared US election procedures with those in other countries, arguing that America lags behind other nations in enforcing what it described as basic election protections.
“India and Brazil tie voter ID to a biometric database, while the United States largely relies on self-attestation for citizenship,” the White House said.
