New Delhi [India], August 18 : US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on Tuesday endorsed President Donald Trump's renewed push for strict nationwide voter identification laws under the SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) America Act.
Citing India's 2024 general election as a global benchmark for voter authentication, Gor backed Trump's stance that robust, universal photo identification is essential for maintaining election integrity and to revamp American election procedures by explicitly pointing to the scale and mechanics of India's voting system.
In a post on X, Gor said, "President Donald J. Trump is absolutely correct! 646 MILLION voters, every single one required an ID in India's last election. Congress should pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT!"
Gor's endorsement follows a post on Truth Social where President Trump cited a recent exchange involving India's Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar. According to Trump, Kumar asked the US administration, "How can you have Elections in the U.S. without a valid Photo ID?"
The proposed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, introduced in Congress on January 29, aims to overhaul federal voting standards in the United States.
It mandates that state election authorities require physical proof of US citizenship (such as a passport or birth certificate) upon voter registration, alongside valid photo identification at the ballot box, limits mail voting strictly to specific exceptions, including illness, physical disability, active military service, or travel and directs US states to purge non-citizens from federal voter registries using federal databases.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump recalled remarks attributed to India's Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar earlier this month regarding voter identification requirements in the US.
"Earlier this month, India's Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, asked our Administration -- How can you have Elections in the US without a valid Photo ID?" Trump said.
Referring to India's last general election, Trump said, "India's last Election had 646,000,000 Voters! Less than 1 per cent voted by mail, and every single Voter had to have a VALID Photo Identity Document."
Trump reiterated his call for Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, saying, "We need to pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, now!"
The White House and the Trump administration have drawn direct comparisons between election administration in both countries, asserting that the US relies heavily on self-attestation for citizenship relative to international peers.
According to the White House, the legislation is aimed at ensuring that only US citizens participate in deciding federal elections.
"American citizens -- and only American citizens -- should decide American elections," the White House said, describing the SAVE America Act as a "common sense, bipartisan bill."
The White House said the proposed legislation would require voters to provide valid identification before registering to vote in a federal election, along with proof of citizenship.
It also proposes restrictions on mail-in ballots, allowing them only in cases involving illness, disability, military service or travel. The White House said the Act would direct states to remove non-citizens from voter rolls.
"If you want to register to vote in the United States, you have to be a citizen in the United States," the White House said.
The administration also compared US election procedures with those in other countries, arguing that America lags behind other nations in enforcing what it described as basic election protections.
"India and Brazil tie voter ID to a biometric database, while the United States largely relies on self-attestation for citizenship," the White House said.
India utilises the EPIC (Elector's Photo Identity Card) system alongside biometric-linked identification (Aadhaar), ensuring almost 100% of the electorate proves identity before casting a ballot.
India's 2024 Lok Sabha election spanned seven phases, recording over 642 million voters with an overall turnout of 65.79%.
The vast majority of votes are cast in person via Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), with postal ballots reserved strictly for service personnel, essential duty staff, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities.
While US federal elections traditionally rely on state-by-state regulations and self-attestation of citizenship during registration, the White House is referencing India's centralised, photo-verified voter database as an example of a system with stricter operational safeguards.
While administration officials view the legislation as a common-sense measure to secure elections, critics and Democratic lawmakers argue that strict documentary mandates create barriers for millions of eligible American citizens who lack immediate access to passports or certified birth certificates matching their current names.