Trump Attacks Supreme Court After Justices Reject Push to Restrict Mail Ballots

US President Donald Trump has sharply criticised the Supreme Court after the justices rejected his administration’s attempt to impose new restrictions on mail-in voting ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Trump, in a series of posts on social media, accused the court of failing the country and singled out several justices, including members of the conservative majority whom he appointed. He praised Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, the two justices who dissented from Monday’s ruling.

The Supreme Court’s decision left in place a lower-court order blocking a new United States Postal Service rule that would have introduced additional requirements for mail ballots.

The proposed system would have required states to submit lists of eligible mail voters through a federal system and use standardised ballot envelopes and tracking requirements. The Postal Service could have refused to deliver election mail that did not comply with the new requirements.

The Trump administration argued that the changes were necessary to strengthen election security and prevent fraud. Trump has repeatedly criticised mail voting and has blamed it for his defeat in the 2020 presidential election, despite the lack of evidence supporting widespread fraud through mail ballots.

The Supreme Court, however, concluded that the administration was unlikely to succeed in its challenge to the lower-court injunction and declined to allow the new rules to take effect for the November elections.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed with the decision to keep the restrictions blocked for this year’s election, although he indicated that the legality of the rules could potentially be considered differently in the future. Thomas and Alito dissented.

The timing of the proposed changes was a major concern. Several states had already begun sending mail ballots to voters, while election officials argued that there was insufficient time to overhaul existing procedures before the November election.

The ruling represents a significant legal setback for Trump’s effort to reshape federal election procedures ahead of the midterms, where control of both chambers of Congress will be contested.

Trump’s criticism of the Supreme Court also highlights growing tensions between the president and members of the judiciary over his administration’s attempts to change election rules through executive action.

For now, states will continue using their existing mail-ballot systems for the 2026 midterm elections, with the Supreme Court’s decision preventing the Postal Service from enforcing the disputed restrictions.