President Donald Trump announced on Monday a $1 million reward for individuals who provide information that leads to the arrest and conviction of voter fraud perpetrators, intensifying efforts to challenge the legitimacy of the upcoming 2026 midterm elections. Trump disclosed the offer in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, stating the reward applies to reports of voter fraud in both past elections and the forthcoming midterms.

This development marks a further escalation in Trump’s campaign to question election integrity, amid concerns that Republicans could lose control of Congress. The administration has recently taken active steps to influence electoral outcomes, including attempts to challenge a possible Democratic victory in a U.S. Senate race in Alaska and efforts to separate ballots from voters suspected of being non-citizens in California.

Details on how the public should submit tips or who would evaluate the eligibility of claims for the reward were not provided by Trump. The White House declined to offer additional commentary beyond the president’s social media message.

Last week, the administration introduced a related program promising payments for information intended to help identify election fraud. When unveiling that initiative, Trump stated he would personally determine the recipients of payments. “I will be the arbitrator of all of these decisions,” he told reporters, emphasizing his discretionary authority and suggesting a willingness to be "very generous."

Observers note uncertainty about whether Trump, who has repeatedly made baseless claims about widespread voting irregularities, will apply similar discretion regarding this new tip reward program. Leading up to the midterms, Trump has advocated for increased Republican influence in elections, urging his party to “nationalize” voting processes and pushing for stricter controls on mail-in ballots.

Trump has also expressed unfounded allegations of fraud in California’s primary elections. That claim prompted an investigation by the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles, overseen by a Trump loyalist, but no evidence has been found. Despite calls for election integrity, Trump controversially encouraged supporters at the Republican National Convention in September to “cheat like hell, like they do.”

These moves come as polls indicate the Republican Party faces challenging odds in the upcoming election, with Trump’s declining approval tied to voter unease over economic issues. In efforts to motivate his base in Republican strongholds, Trump has pledged a $5,000 payment to every adult American if his party maintains congressional control—a proposal that attracted bipartisan criticism and accusations of potentially bordering on bribery.