Housing bill still set to become law as Trump refuses to sign it over Senate failure on SAVE Act

President Donald Trump declared Friday he is refusing to sign a major housing bill to protest the Senate’s failure to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.

The bill is still set to become law Friday night at 11:59 p.m. Eastern even without Trump’s signature, assuming he does not veto the bill. Though the housing bill has been championed by Democrats and Republicans alike, and even the White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump has been most adamant about passing the SAVE Act – framing it as imperative for election integrity.

Leavitt previously described the housing bill as “one of the most significant pieces of housing affordability legislation in American history” when Trump was set to sign it in June, though he canceled the signing ceremony over the SAVE Act not yet being passed. The SAVE Act would require voters to provide proof of citizenship when registering for federal elections and direct states to remove aliens from their lists of eligible voters.

“I will not sign the Housing Bill, which has been fully approved by Congress and sent to the White House, in PROTEST over the fact that the United States Senate is not capable of passing THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, which is polling at 97% with the Republican Party, and very high with the non-politician Dumocrats,” Trump wrote Friday on Truth Social. “The Act states, quite simply, that to Vote a person must show PHOTO VOTER I.D., PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP, AND THAT THERE WILL BE NO MORE CROOKED, CORRUPT, & DESTABILIZING MAIL-IN BALLOTS (EXCEPTIONS for Military, Disabled, Illness, and Travel!). THE SAVE AMERICA ACT’S non-passage is CRAZY, and a serious threat to any politician who votes against it!”

Trump argued that his insult for Democrats – namely, that they are “dumb” – should be assigned to Republicans if they fail to terminate the filibuster and pass the SAVE Act. He reasoned that Democrats, “in their very first hour” of a majority, will terminate the filibuster to advance their policies.

“The title of DUMB will revert to the Republicans who allowed this horrible calamity to happen to our Party, and our Nation, itself! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump continued.

Trump has repeatedly urged Senate Republicans to nuke the filibuster and pass the SAVE Act or add it to another piece of legislation, such as “Reconciliation 3.0.”

When asked about the housing bill on June 29, Trump told reporters that in comparison to passing the SAVE Act, “just about everything is a big yawn.” Also on June 29, House Speaker Mike Johnson sent the housing bill over to Trump for his signature.

The legislation, titled “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act,” is aimed at lowering housing costs and accelerating home construction. It passed the House by 358-32 and the Senate by 85-5.