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U.S. President Trump’s False Claims About ID Requirements at Grocery Stores and Gas Stations Persist
President Donald Trump has repeatedly made the false claim that Americans need photo identification to purchase everyday items at grocery stores and gas stations, a misrepresentation he has continued since at least 2018. The president most recently repeated this assertion during a November 2025 White House breakfast with Republican senators.
“All we want is voter ID. You go to a grocery store, you have to give ID. You go to a gas station, you give ID. But for voting, they want no voter ID. It’s only for one reason: because they cheat,” Trump stated at the gathering.
This claim has become a consistent talking point in Trump’s advocacy for voter ID laws, despite being demonstrably untrue. Standard grocery purchases in the United States do not require photo identification. The only exceptions are age-restricted items like alcohol and tobacco products, certain medications, or when using specific payment methods like personal checks.
Trump’s comments have drawn particular scrutiny as they often reference common grocery staples. In multiple instances since 2018, he has specifically mentioned needing ID to purchase bread, cereal, or other everyday items. During a July 2018 political rally in Tampa, Florida, he claimed: “You know, if you go out and you want to buy groceries, you need a picture on a card. You need ID.”
When questioned about these statements in 2018, then-White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders attempted to clarify by noting that purchasing alcohol at grocery stores does require ID, sidestepping the president’s broader claim about general grocery shopping.
The president’s apparent unfamiliarity with grocery shopping has surfaced in other contexts. In a 2010 clip from “The Marriage Ref” reality show, Trump admitted he had “never even gone to a food market” with his wife Melania. More recently, in late 2024 and early 2025 interviews, he made peculiar remarks about the word “groceries” itself, calling it “old-fashioned” and claiming, “I started using the word — the groceries.”
Retail industry experts note that the vast majority of grocery purchases and gas station transactions occur without ID verification. Most modern point-of-sale systems only prompt for ID when age-restricted products are scanned or when certain payment methods are used.
Trump has consistently tied these false claims to his arguments against voter fraud, despite extensive research showing that voter fraud is exceedingly rare in U.S. elections. When making these statements, he frequently adds assertions like “there’s just no justification for these extreme changes to the election law” and claims Democrats oppose voter ID because “they want to cheat.”
The president’s repeated mischaracterizations about everyday retail transactions have drawn criticism from both consumer advocates and voting rights experts who argue they misrepresent both normal consumer experiences and the realities of election security.
The White House has not responded to requests for comment on the president’s statements regarding ID requirements at grocery stores and gas stations.
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6 Comments
It’s troubling to see a public figure like the president repeatedly make such easily verifiable false statements. Spreading misinformation about routine consumer transactions can undermine trust in institutions and the democratic process.
Exactly. Trump’s comments on this issue seem to be more about pushing a political narrative than reflecting reality. Fact-checking and calling out these types of false claims is important.
While I understand the desire for secure elections, Trump’s claims about ID requirements for grocery and gas purchases are simply not accurate. We should be careful about conflating everyday transactions with the complex issue of voter ID laws.
Well said. Spreading misinformation, even if unintentional, can have serious consequences. It’s important to rely on factual information from credible sources when discussing these types of policy issues.
This is yet another example of Trump making false claims about everyday transactions requiring ID. Grocery and gas purchases typically don’t need photo ID, except for age-restricted items. His continued misinformation on this topic is concerning.
Agreed. Trump’s claims about ID requirements are demonstrably untrue and appear to be part of his advocacy for voter ID laws, despite the lack of evidence supporting that position.