USA05 October, 20262 min read
Trump Swaps Brazil For India, Says 125 Million Voted In Presidential Election
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Trump claimed 125 million voters in India's presidential election, but posted about Brazil. Brazil held its first-round presidential election on Sunday, which Trump conflated with India.
Truth Social Brazil India
President Donald Trump swapped Brazil for India in a Truth Social post on Sunday night, commenting on the speed of vote counting while writing that "125 million people voted today in the first round of India's presidential election." Trump later corrected the information after the post’s comparison drew attention, and the corrected version cited the "Brazil presidential election."
“125 million people voted today in the first round of India's presidential election.”
Trump’s original claim also drew scrutiny because India does not hold elections on Sunday, and the post’s timing and numbers were tied to Brazil’s first round of its presidential election on Sunday, October 4. Trump used the comparison to criticize U.S. election administration, writing that "In Detroit, Philadelphia, California and in various other U.S. cities and states, the results, with much smaller numbers, often take weeks to be frauded — I mean, calculated."
Rubio and the runoff
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Brazilian election would be decided in the second round, telling reporters, "I think everyone was expecting that. Let’s see how this unfolds," before boarding for Iceland on Monday morning.
Brazil’s first round produced a runoff between incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, with Flávio Bolsonaro finishing first with about 47% of the valid vote and Lula receiving about 45%.
Reuters Brazil reported that Brazil has nearly 159 million registered voters, and it cited figures that about 124.5 million people cast ballots with an abstention rate of about 21%.
The timing and the reference to roughly 125 million voters corresponded closely to Sunday’s Brazilian presidential election.
Midterms and election claims
Trump habitually raises, without providing evidence, suspicions of fraud in U.S. elections, and the agenda was again the focus of his remarks ahead of the midterm elections. The Trump administration sought to impose voting restrictions to reduce Democratic chances and pressed allied states to redraw electoral districts to increase Republican projections.
“In Detroit, Philadelphia, California and in various other U.S. cities and states, the results, with much smaller numbers, often take weeks to be frauded — I mean, calculated.”
Trump followed the gaffe with a jab at the U.S. electoral system, writing, "In Detroit, Philadelphia, California, and numerous other US cities and states, the results, with much smaller numbers, will often take weeks to rig – I mean, calculate." Trump wrote, "Voting in America is CORRUPT," and Americans will vote in November 3 midterm elections to decide who controls Congress for the final two years of his presidency.