President Donald Trump has issued a new call urging Republicans to vote early, by mail, or in person in the upcoming midterm elections, marking a notable shift in his longstanding opposition to mail-in voting. In a video posted Saturday on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump encouraged early and mail voting, while also promoting a Republican Party website designed to help voters understand their options.

This message contrasts sharply with Trump’s previous rhetoric, which frequently targeted mail voting as vulnerable to fraud despite no evidence to support such claims. Throughout his presidency and into the current election cycle, Trump actively sought to restrict mail-in voting through legal and executive actions, efforts largely blocked by lawmakers and the courts. As recently as July, Trump referred to mail ballots as “inherently corrupt.”

Despite his public skepticism, Trump himself has voted by mail multiple times this year. He returned a mail ballot in a Florida special election in March, attributing his choice to his presidential status, and again participated via mail in the August primary. Trump has also criticized early voting in the past, making Saturday’s video an apparent departure from his earlier stance.

The shift comes amid a challenging political environment for Republicans, who face the potential loss of control in both the House and Senate as Democrats gain momentum, according to recent polls. Trump’s relatively low approval ratings and voter concerns over rising inflation—exacerbated by the ongoing conflict involving Iran—have added to Republican vulnerabilities. Party strategists have expressed concern that Trump’s vocal opposition to mail voting could discourage participation among Republican-leaning voters.

Approximately one-third of ballots were cast by mail in the 2024 presidential election, underscoring the significance of mail voting in current electoral processes. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission notes that more than 40 percent of votes in the 2020 presidential race were submitted via mail, reflecting shifts in voting behavior accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier this year, Trump signed an executive order aimed at limiting mail ballots, but the Supreme Court blocked the measure in September. He also pushed Congress to enact legislation curtailing mail voting, efforts that failed to gain traction.

Election law expert Richard Pildes of New York University described Trump’s recent statement as a “major shift,” attributing it to the failure of his attempts to restrict mail-in voting. “He’s realizing that his efforts to change policy on mail-in voting have basically run aground at this point, and he’s shifting gears,” Pildes said.

However, some political observers remain cautious. Republican strategist Doug Heye noted that it was too early to tell if Trump’s message would hold, suggesting the former president could revert to his prior claims about mail voting fraud in the coming days.

States have already begun distributing mail ballots for the Nov. 3 midterm elections, with early voting underway in several, including Illinois and Minnesota. North Carolina was the first state to start mailing ballots nearly a month ago.

Trump’s focus on mail voting intensified after his 2020 election loss, when he falsely alleged widespread fraud and claimed victory over President Joe Biden, despite official results and audits confirming the election’s integrity.