PHILADELPHIA — President Donald Trump, in remarks to a GOP retreat in Philadelphia Thursday, hinted at his administration’s plans for a major investigation into voter fraud.
“We also need to keep the ballot box safe from illegal voting,” Trump said. “Believe me, you take look at what is registering, folks — they like to say,
Oh, Trump Trump Trump… take a look at what is registering.'”
It is unclear exactly what Trump meant by “what is registering,” but his White House Press Secretary said Wednesday that the investigation will focus on “urban areas.”
“I think in terms of registration … you’ve got folks on rolls that have been deceased or have moved or are registered in two counties,” he said. “This isn’t just about the 2016 election — this is about the integrity of our voting system.”
Ironically, at least four people close to Trump have been found to be registered to vote in more than one state.
An executive order calling for a voter fraud is expected Thursday, Reuters reported, but the White House did not respond to inquiries by TPM about the scope of the investigation, or whether it will be conducted by the Department of Justice.
House Oversight Committee Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) told reporters at the retreat Wednesday that he did not plan to direct the committee to investigate voter fraud, adding that Trump could just order a Justice Department-led probe.
Trump’s desire for a voter fraud investigation, which he announced over Twitter Wednesday morning, appears to be driven by his false belief that three to five million people voted illegally in Novembers election, giving Hillary Clinton the popular vote.
