Analysis by WorldTribune Staff, June 24, 2026 Non-AI Real World News
There is no debate about the popularity of the SAVE America Act. American voters overwhelmingly support requiring proof of citizenship and ID to cast a ballot in federal elections.
Democrat politicians, despite approval of the legislation by a majority of their voters, oppose it, critics say, because it takes away a key constituency, noncitizen voters.
But a handful of ancient Republican senators continue to hold it back. And President Donald Trump is playing hardball with those senators.
Trump on Wednesday canceled his scheduled signing of a housing bill, insisting that he would not sign it until the SAVE America Act is passed.
The president wrote in a post to Truth Social on Wednesday:
“Today’s Housing News Conference and Signing is hereby cancelled until such time as we pass the desperately needed SAVE AMERICA ACT, which I consider to be a National Emergency. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DJT.”
The Republicans holding up the SAVE America Act were livid.
North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, the lamest of lame ducks, whined: “I mean, my goodness, I thought that we were happy about addressing affordability. I don’t know why you’re holding a bill that’s ready for signature hostage over a bill that will never pass in this Congress.”
Tillis and GOP Sens. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska have continuously held back the SAVE America Act. They oppose waiving Senate budget rules to bypass the standard 60-vote threshold required for standalone legislation. They oppose attaching the election integrity bill to budget reconciliation and immigration packages.
Tills and McConnell are retiring. Murkowski isn’t up for re-election until 2028. Collins is running in November’s general election against a Democrat with a Nazi tattoo.
Trump derided the housing legislation (21st Century ROAD to Housing Package) for having the support of Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
The president posted to Truth Social:
The Elizabeth “Pocahontas” Warren centric housing bill, which is of minor importance compared to lower interest rates, and even FISA, pales in comparison to passing THE SAVE AMERICA ACT. That is what Americans, both Dumocrats, Republicans, and everyone else, care about. Get the bad Republicans to approve it or, better yet, Terminate the Filibuster and approve it, AND EVERYTHING ELSE REPUBLICANS HAVE EVER DREAMED OF. The Dumocrats will do it in hour one, 100%. Republicans will feel very stupid if they don’t do it first. I’ll be watching with tears in my eyes!!! President DJT
Under the Constitution, a bill passed by Congress becomes law in about two weeks if the president doesn’t sign or veto the measure. The GOP-controlled Congress also could delay sending the bill to the White House indefinitely.
Republicans have a 53-47 majority in the Senate. The SAVE America Act requires 60 votes to advance, due to the chamber’s longstanding filibuster rule. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has rejected Trump’s push to eliminate the filibuster rule.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said he expected Trump ultimately would sign the housing bill within the 10-day window the president has to sign or veto legislation.
“The president, when we go through the details of the bill, he’s going to understand that it’s a good product and certainly something that fulfills his promises to bring down costs,” Johnson said.
Warren, an architect of the bill, said the measure is “good for urban America, rural America, first-time home buyers, renters, seniors, families who are expanding. It’s a bill about doing good things, and Donald Trump says he just doesn’t care.”
RedState’s Ward Clark noted: “If that 10-day window approaches, the president does retain the option to veto the housing bill, along with anything else that lands on his desk.
“That would seem an extreme move, but the president clearly doesn’t see it that way, and a large majority of the American people, who in repeated polling are showing overwhelming support for voter ID requirements, would seem to agree. As for the filibuster, the time has come. A year ago, I was as strong a proponent of the filibuster as one would find anywhere, but that was then, and this is now. President Trump is absolutely correct; the Democrats will abolish the filibuster within minutes of regaining control of the Senate, and sooner or later, they will.
“The president is correct on this. There is nothing before the Senate as important, as vital to the nation’s future, as the SAVE America Act. It’s time to do whatever is necessary to get this done, to secure our elections, and to secure the future of the republic.”
Nothing else matters if our elections can be stolen. Great job, POTUS! pic.twitter.com/bq1W15h4u5
— Liz Harrington (@realLizUSA) June 24, 2026
