President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Thursday to warn Americans to closely watch California’s vote-counting process following the state’s June 2 primary election.
Trump criticized California’s universal mail-in voting system, arguing that ballots are sent to outdated addresses and remain eligible to be counted for days after Election Day as long as they are postmarked on time.
“Watch California, everybody!” Trump wrote. “Our Election process is as bad, or worse, than any Third World Country.”
Under California law, mail ballots can arrive up to seven days after Election Day if properly postmarked, and counties are given additional time to complete the counting process.
Trump claimed the extended timeline creates opportunities for fraud, though state officials have repeatedly defended California’s election system as secure.
California leaders, including Governor Gavin Newsom, Senator Alex Padilla, and Attorney General Rob Bonta, pushed back against Trump’s criticism.
Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli announced that federal authorities, working alongside the FBI, have multiple election fraud investigations underway in California. While Essayli did not provide details about specific cases, he said protecting election integrity is a “top priority.”
Essayli also confirmed his office is working with the Department of Justice to review California’s voter rolls, claiming the state has resisted efforts to verify voter eligibility.
The dispute has intensified national attention on California’s election system as political tensions continue to rise ahead of future elections.
