Fact Check: Did Trump claim Maryland sent ‘illegal’ mail-in ballots to voters?
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump accused Maryland officials, including Democratic Governor Wes Moore, of illegally sending hundreds of thousands of mail-in ballots in an effort to secure a Democratic advantage in future elections.
He made the allegation on Truth Social and repeated it later during a White House healthcare affordability event, stating he would ask the US Attorney General and the Department of Justice to investigate.
The claim emerged shortly after a vendor error required Maryland election officials to issue replacement ballots to some voters ahead of the state’s June 2026 gubernatorial primary.
MIND-BLOWING: President Trump says DOUBLE the amount of mail-in ballots are now circulating the state of Maryland than should be:
— Blue Lives Matter (@bluelivesmtr) May 19, 2026
"I've asked law enforcement to look at it very strenuously."
"In Maryland, 500,000 FAKE BALLOTS were sent out. When they were caught, they said,… pic.twitter.com/qVDFtKuLKT
Claim: Trump said Maryland sent out 500K illegal mail-in ballots
According to a Truth Social post shared by Donald Trump on Monday, May 18, he claimed that “500,000 illegal mail-in ballots” had been sent in Maryland and alleged that another 500,000 ballots were being issued while questioning what happened to the first batch.
"In Maryland, they sent out 500,000 Illegal Mail In Ballots, and they got caught! So now, they’re going to send out 500,000 more Mail In Ballots, but nobody knows what’s happening with the first 500,000 they sent."
He further claimed that many of these ballots went to Democrats, arguing that Republican candidates in the state had no chance as a result. He also accused Maryland Governor Moore of allowing the situation, describing him as “corrupt” and suggesting it was done to benefit Democrats.
"In addition, many of these ballots went to Democrats, so any Republican running in Maryland doesn’t have a chance! This was done by the Corrupt Governor of the State, Wes Moore. He allowed this to happen in order to make sure that Democrats win.”
Trump also repeated the allegation later in the day, again blaming Gov Moore for what he described as intentional wrongdoing.
He wrote that the governor “allowed this to happen in order to make sure that Democrats win,” and added that Maryland’s status as a reliably Democratic state now made sense to him, suggesting the issue had been ongoing for years.
Fact Check: False, no evidence to back the viral claim
The claim made by Donald Trump about Maryland sending illegal mail-in ballots is false. No illegal ballots were distributed to voters. The Maryland State Board of Elections explained that some voters received the wrong party’s primary ballot due to a vendor error.
Officials said affected voters will receive replacement ballots, and any incorrect ballots already sent will be voided.
Voters were also instructed to destroy any incorrect ballots they had not yet returned. Election safeguards, including unique identifiers on ballot envelopes, ensure that each voter can cast only one valid ballot, and officials confirmed the issue does not advantage any political party.
Maryland conducts separate Republican and Democratic primaries to select party nominees for the general election, further limiting any cross-party impact. Jared DeMarinis stated in an X post that “no fake OR illegal mail-in ballots were distributed” and warned that such claims spread misinformation about voting rights.
He also clarified that Maryland elections are overseen by the bipartisan State Board of Elections, not the governor, and emphasized his role as the chief state election official responsible for administering elections.
Ammar Moussa, a spokesperson for Governor Wes Moore, called Trump’s claims “false and irresponsible,” urging the public to rely on the State Board of Elections for accurate information rather than social media posts that may undermine trust in the electoral process.
