Trump Puts $1 Million on Each Voter Fraud Conviction

President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he is offering a $1 million payment to individuals who report voter fraud that leads to an arrest and a subsequent conviction. The offer applies to the upcoming midterm elections as well as previous voting cycles.

The president made the statement on Truth Social, specifying that the funds would be released upon the conviction of those responsible for the fraud. A White House spokesperson declined to provide further details about the logistics of the payout, directing media inquiries back to Trump’s online post.

Trump did not identify a specific source of funds for the rewards. He has similarly left the funding mechanism unclear for other financial promises made during his recent campaign appearances for Republican candidates.

The announcement is the latest move in the administration’s campaign to scrutinize voting processes. The Justice Department has recently sued California officials to segregate mail ballots sent to potential noncitizens. Additionally, the department sued Alaska officials last week to block the certification of a U.S. Senate race if Republican Senator Dan Sullivan loses.

Election experts note that while instances of voter fraud occur, they are rare. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative research group, tracks more than 1,600 incidents over 40 years. Those cases represent a small fraction of the total votes cast during that period. Common examples include voting using a deceased relative’s identity or providing false information on mail ballot applications.

The $1 million incentive follows the recent launch of a $25 million government fraud whistleblower program. Under that scheme, Trump stated he would personally decide which whistleblowers are worthy of prizes. Courts have previously blocked the administration from implementing sweeping changes to mail voting and requiring documentary proof of citizenship for all voters.

The new reward joins a list of financial pledges Trump has made to voters. He promised $5,000 payments to Americans if his party maintains control of Congress in the midterms. Like the fraud bounty, he has not detailed where the money for those payments will come from.