Trump sets $1 million payout for proven voter fraud
The reward requires an arrest and conviction, a condition that has not been met in previous similar offers.
By Fatou Diop ·
President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he will pay one million dollars to anyone who reports voter fraud. The payment is conditional. The person responsible for the fraud must be arrested and convicted before the reward is released. This offer applies to past elections and the upcoming 2026 midterm elections.
The president made the announcement in a post on Truth Social. He wrote that anyone reporting fraud in past elections or the November midterms will receive the payment upon the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators. He asked for the public's attention to the matter.
Trump reiterated the offer to reporters before boarding Air Force One. He was traveling to a campaign rally in Mississippi. He described the $1 million payment as a bonus or a reward. He clarified that the report must lead to the arrest and conviction of somebody.
The White House did not say how the rewards will be funded. The administration has not provided details on the source of the money. The White House did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
The announcement comes before the November midterm elections. It follows Trump's repeated claims of widespread voter fraud. Democratic state attorneys general have increased coordination to counter potential federal interference in the elections. They are responding to growing concerns about the administration's voter fraud claims.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta criticized the administration's efforts to restrict alleged noncitizen voting. He accused the administration of politicizing and weaponizing the law. This criticism adds to the tension between state and federal officials over election administration.
A similar offer was made in 2020 by Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. He offered $25,000 for election fraud tips. He said he supported Trump's efforts to identify fraud. The first payout under that program went to Eric Frank, a Democratic poll worker in Pennsylvania. His tip led to the conviction of a 72-year-old Republican who voted twice. The man voted once in his own name and once in his son's name.
Source: The Guardian
