Trump announces $1 million bounty for voter fraud convictions
Payment is contingent on the arrest and conviction of individuals, a move critics say intensifies federal election oversight ahead of November.
By Naomi Bennett ·
President Donald Trump has authorized a $1,000,000 payment to any individual whose report of voter fraud leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. The reward applies to alleged fraud in previous elections and the upcoming 2026 midterm cycle. Trump announced the plan in a post on Truth Social on Monday.
The president stated that anyone reporting voter fraud in past elections or the 2026 midterms will receive the million dollar sum upon the conviction of the perpetrators. He later confirmed the offer to reporters before departing for a campaign rally in Mississippi. Trump described the payment as a bonus or reward for reports that result in the arrest and conviction of a suspect.
The White House has not yet determined how the administration will fund these payouts. Trump did not specify the source of the money in his initial post or during his subsequent remarks to the press. The announcement arrives as tensions rise over the administration's continued assertions regarding widespread voting irregularities.
Democratic state attorneys general have recently expanded their coordination efforts to prepare for potential federal interference in the November elections. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has publicly criticized the administration's actions, specifically its efforts to restrict noncitizen voting. Bonta accused the White House of politicizing and weaponizing the law in this area.
This million dollar offer echoes a similar proposal made by Dan Patrick, the Republican lieutenant governor of Texas, in 2020. Patrick offered $25,000 for tips on election fraud at that time, citing support for President Trump's efforts to identify irregularities. The payout structure has a precedent in that earlier initiative.
The first payment under Patrick's 2020 plan went to Eric Frank, a Democratic poll worker in Pennsylvania. Frank's tip led to the conviction of a 72-year-old Republican who voted twice, once in his own name and once in his son's name, according to reports from the Washington Post in 2021. The current administration's offer is 40 times larger than that initial state level bounty.
The next major election event is the midterm vote scheduled for November. The White House is expected to provide further details on the mechanics of the reward program as the campaign season intensifies.
Source: The Guardian
