Supreme Court Rejects Trump Mail-Ballot Curbs as Fed Lifts Rates to 3.75%-4%
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Sep 18
Supreme Court Rejects Trump Mail-Ballot Curbs as Fed Lifts Rates to 3.75%-4%
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Sep 18
Summary
A 5-2 Supreme Court ruling left Trump’s planned mail-in ballot restrictions blocked ahead of the midterms, with only Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissenting.
The setback landed alongside the Federal Reserve’s first rate increase in three years — a quarter point to 3.75%-4% — as Chair Kevin Warsh said inflation remained too high.
Trump publicly attacked both institutions, saying the justices were "a shell" of their former selves and blaming a "hostile" Fed board rather than Warsh alone.
Those defeats add to a run of resistance from Trump-appointed or conservative-led bodies, including rulings against his tariffs, birthright citizenship limits and Missouri’s redrawn election map.
The pattern is feeding a broader view in Washington that checks-and-balances institutions — and some Republicans — are entering an early lame-duck phase of Trump’s presidency.
Will the temporary halt on new postal screening rules prevent logistical chaos, or just delay a massive shift in how ballots are tracked?
Could a tiny barcode error on a standardized envelope really prevent millions of mail-in ballots from being counted this election?
The 2026 Mail-In Ballot Showdown: Supreme Court, Executive Power, and the Future of U.S. Election Integrity
Overview
In September 2026, a major legal battle erupted after President Trump ordered the USPS to enforce strict new mail-in voting rules, including unique barcodes and federal voter lists. These rules, rushed into place with unstable technology, faced immediate pushback from federal judges who blocked them, warning of chaos and mass disenfranchisement. As the Supreme Court was asked to intervene, states like Washington and California quickly set up backup plans to protect voters. The controversy sparked intense partisan debate, with voting rights groups mobilizing to counter fears of voter suppression and ensure public confidence in the election process.