On October 4, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump posted a message on Truth Social in which he claimed that 125 million people voted in India’s presidential elections and that the results were announced the same day. He went on to say that voting in America is “CORRUPT,” citing the weeks it can take to count votes in U.S. cities and states.
The reference to India appears to have been a mistake. Brazil, not India, held the first round of its presidential election on Sunday, recording 125.27 million valid votes. Brazil’s results were released at 5 p.m. the same evening the voting ended, and updates were posted as ballots were processed.
India has not held a presidential election. The Indian president is elected by an electoral college of elected members of Parliament and state legislatures, not by a direct popular vote. Trump has previously cited India’s voter‑identification system—highlighting that in the 2024 Lok Sabha election 646 million voters used valid photo ID and less than one percent voted by mail—to argue for similar reforms in the United States.
The president’s remarks were part of a push for the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register, impose a nationwide voter‑ID requirement, and severely restrict mail voting. The post was later corrected.
