Trump Alleges California Dems Are Attempting Election Theft
WHO:
Los Angeles Times - First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli is mentioned as overseeing the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles.
ABC News - President Donald Trump accused California Democrats of attempting to "steal" elections.
The Guardian - Trump has a history of undermining election results that do not go in his favor.
HuffPost - Trump signed an executive order creating a national voter list and placing limits on mail-in ballots.
WHAT:
The Guardian - Trump claimed that the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles was investigating alleged election fraud, stating, “Votes are all tied up. May not be in for weeks.”
HuffPost - Trump has been pushing Congress to pass a law that would crack down on mail-in ballots, but the bill does not have the 60 votes needed to avert a filibuster in the Senate.
Los Angeles Times - Trump claimed that California Democrats had “found a lot of mail-in ballots” the night prior and were “rigging the election” with them.
HuffPost - Trump stated that he signed an executive order creating a national voter list and placing limits on mail-in ballots, which a federal judge allowed to stand for now, pending further legal challenges.
The Guardian - Trump’s endorsement of Steve Hilton in the California gubernatorial race comes as he maintains a slight lead over Democrat Xavier Becerra, while billionaire Tom Steyer trails in third place.
ABC News - Trump alleged that Democrats are trying to "steal" the California gubernatorial and Los Angeles mayoral primaries.
The Guardian - Trump claimed that the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles was investigating the alleged election fraud.
The Guardian - Trump posted on Truth Social that there is "BIG cheating by the Dumocrats in California."
The Guardian - Trump stated that votes may not be counted for weeks due to delays.
HuffPost - Trump claimed that mail-in ballots lead to voter fraud, despite voting by mail himself.
WHERE:
ABC News - The allegations pertain to elections in California, specifically the gubernatorial and Los Angeles mayoral primaries.
The Guardian - The U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles was mentioned in relation to the investigation.
WHEN:
The Guardian - Trump made his posts on Truth Social at 12:48 a.m. and again shortly after 1 a.m. on a Thursday.
The Guardian - Mail-in ballots can be counted up to a week after election day if postmarked before election day.
WHY:
The Guardian - California Secretary of State Shirley Weber stated, “Taking the time to do this work correctly protects voters’ rights and ensures the integrity of our elections.”
Los Angeles Times - California Secretary of State Shirley Weber defended the election process, stating, “accuracy comes before speed” when counting millions of ballots.
The Guardian - Governor Gavin Newsom warned that prolonged vote counting invites disinformation, stating, “the longer the vote count takes, the more mis- and dis-information spreads.”
The Guardian - Trump's remarks are likely to alarm election observers concerned about misinformation in the absence of final results.
The Guardian - California's mail-in ballots, which typically account for about 80% of votes, tend to favor Democrats.
HOW:
The Guardian - California allows voters to cast ballots by mail up until election day, which must be postmarked on or before election day and can arrive up to a week later for counting.
The Guardian - California uses a "jungle" primary process where the top two candidates advance to a runoff, regardless of party affiliation.
The Guardian - Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by election day but can arrive up to a week later for counting.
(UPDATED June 5, 2026 06:21 UTC)
Bill Essayli is overseeing the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles, where Trump has claimed there is an investigation into alleged election fraud, stating that “Votes are all tied up. May not be in for weeks.” Meanwhile, Trump is urging Congress to pass legislation aimed at cracking down on mail-in ballots, although the bill currently lacks the necessary 60 votes to overcome a filibuster in the Senate. California Secretary of State Shirley Weber emphasized that taking the time to ensure the integrity of elections protects voters' rights, as the state allows mail-in ballots to be cast up until election day, with ballots needing to be postmarked by that day and arriving up to a week later for counting.
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(UPDATED June 5, 2026 01:42 UTC)
Trump has made headlines by alleging that California Democrats are "rigging the election" by finding numerous mail-in ballots, while also announcing an executive order to create a national voter list and impose limits on mail-in voting, which a federal judge has temporarily upheld. In the California gubernatorial race, Trump has endorsed Steve Hilton, who is currently leading over Democrat Xavier Becerra, with billionaire Tom Steyer in third place. Meanwhile, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber emphasized the importance of accuracy in the ballot counting process, and Governor Gavin Newsom cautioned that delays in counting could lead to the spread of misinformation.
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(UPDATED June 4, 2026 19:42 UTC)
President Trump has accused California Democrats of attempting to "steal" the gubernatorial and Los Angeles mayoral primaries, claiming that the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles is investigating alleged election fraud. He expressed concerns about delays in counting votes, suggesting that results may not be available for weeks, and criticized mail-in ballots as a source of voter fraud, despite having voted by mail himself. Trump's remarks have raised alarms among election observers about the potential spread of misinformation, especially since California's mail-in ballots typically account for about 80% of votes and tend to favor Democrats.