Donald Trump has nixed a controversial voter fraud commission that he created after falsely claiming that millions of people had voted illegally.

“Despite substantial evidence of voter fraud, many states have refused to provide the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity with basic information relevant to its inquiry,” The White House said in a press release.

“Rather than engage in endless legal battles at taxpayer expense, today President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order to dissolve the Commission, and he has asked the Department of Homeland Security to review its initial findings and determine next courses of action”.

Mr Trump launched the voter fraud commission after having claimed, without any evidence, that “millions” of people had voted illegally and he would have otherwise lost the popular vote (his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, outpolled him by about 2.8 million votes).

Given that context, sceptics warned that Mr Trump’s investigation was informed by a false premise and intended to verify his unfounded claim. But even before Mr Trump broadcast his falsehood, questions about the integrity of elections — and laws advanced to address the alleged issue — came to carry partisan baggage.

Republican-controlled states have in recent years passed voting restrictions that are touted as means to ensure fair elections. Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who has championed such measures, was tabbed to help lead Mr Trump’s commission.

US Election night in pictures Show all 24 1 /24 US Election night in pictures US Election night in pictures NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: People celebrate during the call for Republican president-elect Donald Trump at his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 9, 2016 in New York City. at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Getty US Election night in pictures U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton is joined by her husband, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, at a campaign rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. November 7, 2016, the final day of campaigning before the election. REUTERS/Brian Snyder TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Reuters US Election night in pictures U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her husband, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, talk to reporters on her campaign plane in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. November 7, 2016, the final day of campaigning before the election. REUTERS/Brian Snyder Reuters US Election night in pictures Democratic party nominee Hillary Clinton gives a speech from a stand bearing the US President seal during a rally on Independence Mall, November 7, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. About 40,000 people flooded Independence Mall in Philadelphia for Hillary Clinton's rally with her husband Bill, President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle at her side, a campaign aide said. The attendance set a new record for Clinton, with the previous high point a rally in Ohio that drew 18,500 people, a campaign aide told reporters traveling with the candidate. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan SmialowskiBRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images Getty US Election night in pictures PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 07: U.S. President Barack Obama hugs Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a campaign rally on Independence Mall on November 7, 2016 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. With one day to go until election day, Hillary Clinton is campaigning in Pennsylvania, Michigan and North Carolina. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Getty US Election night in pictures PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 07: Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during a campaign rally on Independence Mall on November 7, 2016 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. 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Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images) Getty US Election night in pictures People watch elections returns during election night at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016. US Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will hold her election night event at the convention center. / AFP PHOTO / DON EMMERTDON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images Getty US Election night in pictures NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: People watch voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. 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(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Getty US Election night in pictures NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump cheer during the election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Getty US Election night in pictures NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: People cheer at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. 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(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Getty US Election night in pictures Supporters of Republican candidate Donald Trump, Stephanie Meza (L), 42, of Scottsdale, Arizona, and Rhonda Davis (R), 63, of Scottsdale, Arizona cheer as election results come in during a viewing party at a hotel in downtown Phoenix, Arizona on November 8, 2016. Millions of Americans voted November 8th for their new leader in a historic election that will either elevate Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president or hand power to maverick populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / Laura SegallLAURA SEGALL/AFP/Getty Images Getty US Election night in pictures NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Republican president-elect Donald Trump acknowledges the crowd during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Getty US Election night in pictures NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Republican president-elect Donald Trump walks on stage with his son Barron Trump, wife Melania Trump and Ivanka Trump during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Getty US Election night in pictures NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Vice president-elect Mike Pence and Republican president-elect Donald Trump shake hands during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Getty US Election night in pictures US President-elect Donald Trump greets wife Melania after speaking at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 8, 2016. Trump stunned America and the world Wednesday, riding a wave of populist resentment to defeat Hillary Clinton in the race to become the 45th president of the United States. / AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEBSAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images Getty US Election night in pictures US President-elect Donald Trump greets doughter Tiffany after speaking at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 8, 2016. Trump stunned America and the world Wednesday, riding a wave of populist resentment to defeat Hillary Clinton in the race to become the 45th president of the United States. / AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEBSAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images Getty US Election night in pictures Republican presidential elect Donald Trump (L) kisses his daughter Ivanka during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 9, 2016. Trump stunned America and the world Wednesday, riding a wave of populist resentment to defeat Hillary Clinton in the race to become the 45th president of the United States. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images

Critics, including Democrats, counter that evidence of voter fraud is vanishingly rare and warn that efforts to roll back early voting and require identification at the polls are effectively attempts to suppress liberal-leaning constituencies. Judges have agreed with those arguments in striking down some new voting laws.

“The commission never had anything to do with election integrity,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. “It was instead a front to suppress the vote, perpetrate dangerous and baseless claims, and was ridiculed from one end of the country to the other”.

From the start, Mr Trump’s voter fraud commission was hobbled by the refusal of most states to share voters’ information and beset by legal challenges — including one filed by a commission member, Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap. State election officials rejected requests for their voter rolls as invasions of privacy. Pushback came from members of both parties.