The NPR Politics Podcast

Episode: Trump Falsely Claims Mail Ballots Are "Corrupt," Calls For Their Prohibition
Date: August 20, 2025
Hosts: Tamara Keith, Ashley Lopez, Myles Parks

Overview

This episode dissects President Trump’s recent public claims that mail-in voting is “corrupt” and his vow to eliminate it through executive action. NPR’s political reporters examine the legitimacy of Trump’s claims, the constitutional and legislative realities around voting in the U.S., and the wider political implications for the GOP and upcoming elections. The conversation also covers reactions to Trump citing Vladimir Putin as a validator of U.S. election concerns, and explores the practical impact of anti-mail-ballot rhetoric on Republican election strategy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Claim: Mail Ballots are “Corrupt”

• [01:17] Tamara Keith introduces Trump’s statement from the Oval Office, where he alleges that "Mail in ballots are corrupt. Mail in ballots. You can never have a real democracy with mail in ballots. And we as a Republican Party are going to do everything possible that we get rid of mail in ballots." (Donald Trump at 01:25)
• The hosts commit to “unpack” both the veracity of the ‘corrupt’ claim and how American elections are actually governed.

2. Can the President Ban Mail-In Voting?

• [01:56] Ashley Lopez unequivocally states:

  "No. The executive branch has absolutely no power in dictating how states run their elections. We have a decentralized system in this country... This one’s one of those cut and dry things where it’s like, absolutely not. The president does not have a say in how states run their elections." (Ashley Lopez, 01:56–02:25)

• Although Trump suggests an executive order, the only routes to change voting method legality would be through Congress or state legislatures.

3. Reality Check: Mail Ballot “Corruption”

• [03:38] Myles Parks addresses Trump’s claim directly:

  "There’s no evidence that that is the case. I will say when we talk about fraud in elections, the place where it does marginally happen more is in vote by mail traditionally, but it is still a very, very small amount. And there’s never been evidence to show that vote by mail systems have been fraudulently tainted to the point that Trump talks about... So that is not factually accurate." (Myles Parks, 03:38–04:14)

• Additional facts:
  • Vote by mail has existed in the U.S. for over 150 years, dating to the Civil War.
  • Dozens of countries globally permit postal voting.
  • States have implemented robust mail-ballot tracking and security.

4. Election Technology & Security

• Trump, in addition to mail ballots, has called for a ban on "voting machines," but it's unclear whether he refers to electronic voting without paper trails, ballot tabulators, or both.
• Myles Parks clarifies:

  "[Only] a very small percentage of the country doesn’t use paper ballots... and the tabulators... have been found to be much more accurate than hand counting ballots." (Myles Parks, 04:45–05:09)

• Ashley Lopez adds that nearly all jurisdictions now use machines with paper audit trails, and the last election (conducted largely with both mail-in ballots and machines) was certified by even the Trump administration as safe and secure.

5. The Political Strategy Behind Attacking Mail-In Balloting

• [05:37] Ashley Lopez explains:

  "This has been an effective way for Trump to... raise the specter of concern over vote by mail and give people a reason to not trust the results of an election ahead of people voting... By the way, he has used [mail ballots] himself." (Ashley Lopez, 05:37–06:02)

• Several GOP-controlled states (like Utah) have run mail-only elections for years, often benefitting Republicans—a point Myles Parks notes (06:09).

6. International Influence: Trump Quotes Putin

• [08:16] Trump, fresh from a summit with Vladimir Putin, relays Putin’s supposed statement:

  "Vladimir Putin said something, one of the most interesting things. He said your election was rigged because you have mail in voting. He said, mail in voting every election. He said, no country has mail in voting. It’s impossible to have mail in voting and have honest elections." (Donald Trump, 08:16)

• The hosts point out the irony and alarm in turning to the Russian leader as an authority on free and fair elections (Myles Parks, 08:33; Tamara Keith, 09:04).

7. Redistricting, 2026 Midterms, and 'Bank Your Vote'

• Ashley Lopez highlights that current fights over election law are closely tied to GOP efforts to shape the electorate via redistricting.
• Trump’s campaign against mail voting runs counter to the GOP’s own recent initiatives to encourage early and mail voting, especially to court older Republican voters (Myles Parks, 10:28).
• Parks notes that suppressing vote-by-mail could drive down turnout among low-propensity (occasional) Trump supporters, inadvertently benefiting Democrats.

8. Why Federalizing Elections is a Double-Edged Sword

• Ashley Lopez, referencing conservative legal experts:

  "Just imagine if you federalize elections, and the next time Democrats are in power, they're gonna have things like universal mail in ballots... I actually don’t think that most Republicans would actually like that." (Ashley Lopez, 11:09)

9. The Broader Impact: Delegitimizing Elections

• Myles Parks’ closing remarks on Trump’s aim:

  "Even if courts basically say everything you’re requiring is unconstitutional, that is a basis for Trump or anyone else to basically say, no, we tried to make the election secure, and those judges or the Democratic legislatures or whoever wouldn’t let us. And so you cannot trust these election results." (Myles Parks, 11:55)

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• Donald Trump:
  "Mail in ballots are corrupt. You can never have a real democracy with mail in ballots." (01:25)
  "Vladimir Putin said... your election was rigged because you have mail in voting... no country has mail in voting." (08:16)

• Ashley Lopez:
  "The executive branch has absolutely no power in dictating how states run their elections... absolutely not." (01:56)
  "Trump should be careful what he wishes for. Just imagine if you federalize elections... there will be policies Republicans won’t like." (11:09)

• Myles Parks:
  "There's no evidence that that is the case... when we talk about fraud in elections... it is still a very, very small amount." (03:38)
  "His rhetoric is at odds with political strategy when it comes to Republicans right now." (10:28)
  "Even if courts... say everything you’re requiring is unconstitutional, that is a basis... to delegitimize elections." (11:55)

Structure & Timestamps

• [01:17] — Trump’s Oval Office statement: attacks on mail voting
• [01:56–02:25] — Can Trump or any president ban mail-in ballots?
• [03:38–05:09] — Evidence on mail-ballot security; evolution since 2020
• [05:31–06:02] — Why Trump fixates on mail ballots
• [06:02–06:30] — States with mail voting, GOP wins (Utah as case study)
• [08:16–09:04] — Trump quoting Putin, hosts’ analysis
• [09:30–10:05] — Redistricting context, Republican election strategy
• [10:28] — Contradictions between GOP strategy and Trump rhetoric
• [11:09–11:41] — Risks of federalizing elections for Republicans
• [11:55] — Final thoughts: delegitimizing elections through rhetoric

Conclusion

This episode critically examines and dismantles Trump’s repeated attacks on mail-in voting, highlighting both the lack of evidence for widespread corruption and the legal impossibility of a unilateral ban by the executive. The panel underscores the political calculus driving these claims, the historical success of mail voting (even for Republicans), and the potential dangers to election legitimacy driven by unfounded political rhetoric. The inclusion of Putin as a validator is roundly critiqued—a “striking” and “ironic” moment, given Russia’s history with election interference and American political discourse.

The episode concludes with a reminder from all legal experts consulted: Should Trump attempt to act, such an executive order would almost certainly be struck down in court—but the damage to faith in American elections could be lasting.