International
Trump orders proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections
MxM News
Quick Hit:
President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order aimed at restoring confidence in America’s elections by enforcing voter ID, cracking down on non-citizen voting, and ensuring compliance with existing federal election laws.
Key Details:
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The executive order criticizes the United States for falling behind other nations in securing its elections, noting that while India and Brazil use biometric voter ID systems, many U.S. states rely on self-attestation.
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Trump ordered the Election Assistance Commission to update the national voter registration form to require “documentary proof of United States citizenship,” including passports or REAL ID-compliant documents.
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The order also instructs the Department of Justice to crack down on states that count ballots received after Election Day, stating that counting late ballots is akin to letting someone “vote in person at a former voting precinct” days after polls close.
Diving Deeper:
On Tuesday, President Trump signed a far-reaching executive order titled Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections, aiming to overhaul how federal and state governments enforce longstanding election laws.
In the order’s opening section, Trump drew comparisons to foreign democracies, arguing that “the United States now fails to enforce basic and necessary election protections employed by modern, developed nations.” He cited examples including India and Brazil’s biometric-linked voter ID systems and Germany and Canada’s paper ballot requirements, adding that “many American elections now feature mass voting by mail,” often accepting ballots “without postmarks or those received well after Election Day.”
Trump’s directive enforces federal laws already on the books, such as 2 U.S.C. § 7 and 3 U.S.C. § 1, which establish a uniform national Election Day. Referencing a 2024 Fifth Circuit ruling, the order states that ballots must be both cast and received by Election Day. “This is like allowing persons who arrive 3 days after Election Day, perhaps after a winner has been declared, to vote in person… which would be absurd,” the order reads.
A central element of the order is the crackdown on non-citizen voting. It mandates that the national voter registration form include “documentary proof of United States citizenship,” such as a passport, a REAL ID-compliant card, or a military ID indicating citizenship. The order also requires that state and local officials document the specific proof of citizenship used during registration.
To assist states in cleaning up voter rolls, Trump directed the Department of Homeland Security to provide access to immigration databases and mandated that the Social Security Administration share death and identity data. The Attorney General is instructed to “prioritize enforcement” of statutes that prohibit non-citizens from registering or voting and to coordinate with state officials to prosecute violations.
The order also targets election infrastructure and voting machines, requiring that all voting systems include “a voter-verifiable paper record” and banning systems that use barcodes or QR codes to contain vote data, except for accessibility needs. The Election Assistance Commission is instructed to decertify equipment that fails to meet new integrity standards within 180 days.
The executive order further aims to eliminate foreign interference by enforcing 52 U.S.C. § 30121, which bans foreign contributions to federal, state, or local elections. Trump highlighted the abuse of ballot initiative spending loopholes and committed federal enforcement resources to curtail this influence, declaring that “foreign nationals and non-governmental organizations have taken advantage of loopholes… undermining the franchise.”
Through information-sharing agreements, increased prosecution, and withholding of federal funds to uncooperative states, the order seeks to hold jurisdictions accountable for maintaining accurate voter rolls and enforcing citizenship requirements.
“In honest elections,” the order concludes, “voting methods must produce a voter-verifiable paper record… to protect against fraud or mistake.”
More than $2.6 million has been raised for a suburban Sydney shop owner who put himself directly in the line of fire to stop a terrorist during last Sunday’s attack at Bondi Beach, a moment of raw courage that has resonated far beyond Australia’s shores.
The GoFundMe campaign for Ahmed al Ahmed surpassed the $2.6 million mark by Sunday morning, fueled by more than 45,000 donations after video of his actions spread rapidly online. The footage shows Ahmed charging one of the attackers, tackling him to the ground, wrenching a shotgun from his hands, and turning the weapon back on the would-be killer to prevent further carnage.
Ahmed, you are an Australian hero.
You put yourself at risk to save others, running towards danger on Bondi Beach and disarming a terrorist.
In the worst of times, we see the best of Australians. And that's exactly what we saw on Sunday night.
On behalf of every Australian, I… pic.twitter.com/mAoObU3TZD
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) December 16, 2025
Ahmed, 44, is a father of two young daughters, ages five and six, and owns a small shop in suburban Sydney. His intervention came at a brutal cost. As he fought to disarm the first attacker, a second terrorist opened fire on him, shooting him multiple times in an effort to stop him from taking control of the gun. Ahmed survived, but only narrowly.
The overwhelming financial support has turned Ahmed into an unlikely national figure — not because he sought attention, but because he acted when others couldn’t. The outpouring of donations has unfolded alongside growing public anger toward Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government, which has faced mounting criticism over its handling of rising antisemitic violence across Australia in the wake of recent terror incidents.
For many Australians, the contrast has been impossible to miss: ordinary citizens stepping up with courage and clarity while political leaders scramble after the fact. Ahmed didn’t wait for instructions or statements. He saw a threat, moved toward it, and stopped it — and millions of people around the world have now responded in kind.
Business
Some Of The Wackiest Things Featured In Rand Paul’s New Report Alleging $1,639,135,969,608 In Gov’t Waste
From the Daily Caller News Foundation
Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul released the latest edition of his annual “Festivus” report Tuesday detailing over $1 trillion in alleged wasteful spending in the U.S. government throughout 2025.
The newly released report found an estimated $1,639,135,969,608 total in government waste over the past year. Paul, a prominent fiscal hawk who serves as the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said in a statement that “no matter how much taxpayer money Washington burns through, politicians can’t help but demand more.”
“Fiscal responsibility may not be the most crowded road, but it’s one I’ve walked year after year — and this holiday season will be no different,” Paul continued. “So, before we get to the Feats of Strength, it’s time for my Airing of (Spending) Grievances.”
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The 2025 “Festivus” report highlighted a spate of instances of wasteful spending from the federal government, including the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) spent $1.5 million on an “innovative multilevel strategy” to reduce drug use in “Latinx” communities through celebrity influencer campaigns, and also dished out $1.9 million on a “hybrid mobile phone family intervention” aiming to reduce childhood obesity among Latino families living in Los Angeles County.
The report also mentions that HHS spent more than $40 million on influencers to promote getting vaccinated against COVID-19 for racial and ethnic minority groups.
The State Department doled out $244,252 to Stand for Peace in Islamabad to produce a television cartoon series that teaches children in Pakistan how to combat climate change and also spent $1.5 million to promote American films, television shows and video games abroad, according to the report.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) spent more than $1,079,360 teaching teenage ferrets to binge drink alcohol this year, according to Paul’s report.
The report found that the National Science Foundation (NSF) shelled out $497,200 on a “Video Game Challenge” for kids. The NSF and other federal agencies also paid $14,643,280 to make monkeys play a video game in the style of the “Price Is Right,” the report states.
Paul’s 2024 “Festivus” report similarly featured several instances of wasteful federal government spending, such as a Las Vegas pickleball complex and a cabaret show on ice.
The Trump administration has been attempting to uproot wasteful government spending and reduce the federal workforce this year. The administration’s cuts have shrunk the federal workforce to the smallest level in more than a decade, according to recent economic data.
Festivus is a humorous holiday observed annually on Dec. 23, dating back to a popular 1997 episode of the sitcom “Seinfeld.” Observance of the holiday notably includes an “airing of grievances,” per the “Seinfeld” episode of its origin.
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