WASHINGTON, Aug 18 - The White House on Tuesday defended President Donald Trump’s right to cast a ballot by mail after reports indicated he voted absentee in Florida’s Republican primary, even though the president has previously denounced mail-in ballots as "cheating."
When asked about local records showing a mail ballot in the primary, White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said: "As President Trump has said, the SAVE America Act has commonsense exceptions for Americans to use mail-in ballots for illness, disability, military, or travel - but universal mail-in voting should not be allowed because it’s highly susceptible to fraud."
Wales also stressed the president’s ties to Florida, noting: "As everyone knows, the President is a resident of Palm Beach and participates in Florida elections, but he obviously primarily lives at the White House in Washington, D.C.," while addressing questions about his use of absentee voting.
Politico reported on Monday that Trump returned a mail ballot in Florida’s Republican primary, citing local voting records.
Palm Beach County’s supervisor of elections did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the media report.
The White House comments arrive as the president continues to press Congress for new voting restrictions and to curtail mail-in voting, repeating claims that mail ballots are more prone to fraud - assertions described in public debate as unfounded. The administration’s defense points to statutory exceptions that would allow certain voters to use mail ballots while opposing broader, universal mail voting systems.
In addition to the primary ballot reported this week, Trump previously cast a vote by mail in a March special election in Florida, according to available reports.
Context and implications
The administration framed the president’s use of a mail ballot within legal exceptions rather than as support for widespread absentee voting. The statement underscores a distinction the White House is drawing between limited, qualified use of mail ballots and the broader policy debate over universal mail-in voting.
The local official in Palm Beach whose office maintains voting records had not provided an immediate response when contacted, leaving aspects of the reported vote unconfirmed by election administrators at the time of the White House response.
What remains clear from the available information:
- Reports based on local records indicate the president voted by mail in Florida’s Republican primary.
- The White House points to statutory exceptions to justify that action while arguing against universal mail-in voting.
- Election officials in Palm Beach had not immediately replied to requests for comment.