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Trump mistakes Brazil for India, says 125 million voted today in 'India's Presidential Election'
Trump's post came a day after Brazil held the first round of its presidential election on Sunday
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US President Donald Trump on Monday appeared to mistake Brazil for India while commenting on the South American country's presidential election, claiming that 125 million people had voted in the “first round” of India’s presidential election.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “125 Million People voted today in the first round of India’s Presidential Election.” He then contrasted the supposed Indian election with voting in the US, claiming that results in cities such as Detroit and Philadelphia could take weeks to “calculate”.
“Voting in America is CORRUPT!!!” Trump wrote at the end of the post, signing off as “President DJT”.
Trump's post came a day after Brazil held the first round of its presidential election on Sunday, October 4. About 125 million Brazilians did cast ballots in the election, making the number cited by Trump broadly consistent with Brazil's turnout, not an Indian election.
Brazil, not India, held presidential election
Brazil's election has produced a closely fought runoff between incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro.
With virtually all votes counted, Flávio Bolsonaro finished first with about 47% of the valid vote, while Lula received about 45%. Neither secured the majority needed to win outright, sending the election to a second round on October 25. Reuters
Brazil has nearly 159 million registered voters. About 124.5 million people cast ballots in the election, according to figures cited by Courthouse News, with an abstention rate of about 21%.
The result was a major boost for the Bolsonaro political family. Flávio, who was selected by his father to continue the family's political project, will now face Lula in the runoff. Several other members and allies of the Bolsonaro family also won congressional or gubernatorial races.
India does not have a direct presidential election
Trump's reference to an “India’s Presidential Election” is also inaccurate in another significant respect.
India does not elect its president through a nationwide popular vote. The president is elected by an Electoral College comprising elected members of both Houses of Parliament and elected members of the legislative assemblies of the states, as well as Delhi and Puducherry. The election uses proportional representation through the single transferable vote and a secret ballot.
Droupadi Murmu, India's current President, was elected in 2022 and took office on July 25 that year. The next presidential election is therefore not being held on October 5, 2026. Under India's constitutional system, a president serves a five-year term, with the election to fill the office held before the incumbent's term expires.
Trump invokes US election concerns
Trump's post appeared to use the Brazilian election result as a comparison with the US electoral system. He claimed that results in Detroit, Philadelphia, California and other US cities and states can take weeks to be “calculated”, before declaring: “Voting in America is CORRUPT!!!”
His post did not mention Brazil by name, but the timing and the reference to roughly 125 million voters correspond closely to Sunday's Brazilian presidential election.
The Brazilian election has also attracted significant attention in Washington because Flávio Bolsonaro is a close ally of Trump and has pledged to strengthen Brazil's relationship with the US. Trump has previously intervened publicly in Brazilian political affairs, including imposing tariffs on Brazil and expressing support for the Bolsonaro camp.
The October 25 runoff will determine whether Lula wins a fourth, non-consecutive presidential term or whether the Bolsonaro family returns to Brazil's presidency through Flávio.
