Trump: ‘Foreign Countries’ Will Rig the 2020 Election with ‘Millions of Mail-In Ballots’

President Donald Trump has claimed the 2020 election will be rigged by foreign countries through the use of mail-in ballots. Trump took to Twitter to continue his crusade against vote-by-mail initiatives but Monday’s tweet represents a significant escalation of his rhetoric.

“RIGGED 2020 ELECTION: MILLIONS OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS WILL BE PRINTED BY FOREIGN COUNTRIES, AND OTHERS. IT WILL BE THE SCANDAL OF OUR TIMES!” Trump tweeted in all caps.

RIGGED 2020 ELECTION: MILLIONS OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS WILL BE PRINTED BY FOREIGN COUNTRIES, AND OTHERS. IT WILL BE THE SCANDAL OF OUR TIMES!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2020

Earlier, Trump tweeted an article from far-right site Breitbart News about Attorney General William Barr’s claim that mail-in ballots carry a greater risk of voter fraud. Studies show that mail-in ballots are not rife with voter fraud.

“This will be the Election disaster of our time. Mail-In Ballots will lead to a RIGGED ELECTION!” Trump wrote.

The President’s opposition to vote-by-mail has baffled many experts since there appears to be no evidence that mail-in ballots hurt Republicans. On the contrary, given the demographics of GOP voters, allowing vote-by-mail could be beneficial to both parties.

President Trump himself has also voted by mail but has argued that he should be allowed to do so because he has good reason – living in the White House but being registered in Florida. In reality, Trump and Republicans have been selective in their support and condemnation of vote-by-mail.

Critics of the president may also note the irony of his decrying foreign interference in elections when he is accused of soliciting it, most recently from Chinese President Xi Jinping.