Trump's Wild Claims Ignite Federal Probe into California's Election Process
A federal investigation has erupted into California’s election process after President Donald Trump unleashed a barrage of unsubstantiated claims about rampant fraud following the state’s primary on June 2, where vote counting remains unfinished.
The U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles confirmed the initiation of “multiple election fraud investigations” regarding California’s elections, dispatching a prosecutor to the county’s vote-counting center. Critics, particularly from conservative circles, have long slammed the state’s ballot processing system for its sluggish counting timelines.
This announcement came just one day after Trump made unfounded allegations of mass fraud tied to the ongoing tabulation of votes in the most populous state, which boasts over 23 million registered voters. Election observers have cautioned that such claims, made before final results are certified, risk inciting misinformation and eroding public trust.
Late-counted mail ballots, which lean Democratic, have been steadily closing the gaps for candidates endorsed by Trump in crucial races, including those for governor and Los Angeles mayor.
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, appointed by Trump as the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, confirmed these developments, which included a visit to the ballot tabulation center in Los Angeles County.
During a roundtable discussion in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, Trump escalated his allegations, suggesting without evidence that Democrats were manipulating the vote count. “You look at what’s happening—it’s getting tighter and tighter and tighter,” he stated. “And the people who were supposed to win, bad things are happening. It’s a crooked state.”
Later that day, he reiterated his claims to reporters at the White House, asserting that election officials had discovered suspicious ballots during the counting process. Trump claimed that California officials had “found a lot of mail-in ballots last night, shockingly.”
In the aftermath of the primary, Trump unleashed a series of posts on Truth Social, alleging fraud and irregularities in California’s vote count. His messages fixated on mail-in ballots and the slow pace of tabulation.
On June 5, he declared: "Watch California, everybody! Our Election process is as bad, or worse, than any Third World Country. The biggest difference is, they count their Votes much faster—they don’t wait seven days to tell you who won, rigging the Election during each and every one of them. Americans are ashamed of what is happening!”
On June 4, he posted multiple times, claiming that Democrats were intentionally manipulating results: “Look what’s happening in California, the Dumocrats, right before our very eyes, are stealing the Vote. I hope the Republicans are watching so that they can finally pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT!”
He also asserted: “There’s BIG cheating by the Dumocrats in California. Votes are all tied up. May not be in for weeks. Under investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles. Why the vote counting DELAY???”
In another post that same day, he claimed: “The Dumocrats are at it again! They are trying to STEAL THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA PRIMARY, AND THE MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES, PRIMARY, AWAY FROM TWO GREAT REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES. Here we go with the very late and massive numbers of MAIL IN BALLOTS.”
California has consistently leaned Democratic in presidential and statewide elections, with Joe Biden winning by a significant margin in 2020—securing roughly two-thirds of the vote due to heavily populated urban counties like Los Angeles and the Bay Area.
Voter turnout during that election was notably high, spurred by expanded mail-in voting amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Mail ballots now constitute a substantial portion of votes in California—typically around 80 percent—and under state law can arrive up to seven days post-Election Day if postmarked on time.
For primaries like this week’s gubernatorial and LA mayoral elections, California employs a “jungle” primary system where the top two candidates advance regardless of party affiliation. This often leads to prolonged counting periods, especially in tight races.
Last month, California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom expressed gratitude to election officials for their efforts while warning that extended counting periods could fuel false narratives.
“We must acknowledge that the longer the vote count takes, the more mis- and dis-information spreads,” he stated. “That means we must do all that we can to tabulate votes quickly and accurately. Time is of the essence in preventing election lies from taking root.”
Election observers echoed these concerns. Mike DuHaime from the Democracy Defense Project emphasized that conducting elections with integrity and ensuring every eligible vote is counted are essential for maintaining public confidence in democracy.
“At the same time, prolonged delays in ballot tabulation can undermine public trust and create unnecessary uncertainty around election outcomes,” he added.
“The longer election results remain unresolved, the greater the opportunity for misinformation and speculation to spread online, eroding confidence in our electoral process. Accuracy must always remain the highest priority, but accuracy and timeliness are not mutually exclusive.”
Trump’s recent claims reflect a broader pattern of voter fraud allegations following his 2020 presidential defeat when he and his allies claimed that the election had been “stolen.” These allegations included accusations related to mail-in ballots and irregularities in key swing states.
Over 60 legal challenges emerged post-election across states like Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, and Michigan.
Courts consistently dismissed these claims due to insufficient evidence or lack of legal standing. Many cases were thrown out entirely while others failed on their merits before judges appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents.
