Donald Trump will have his SAVE Act, even if he has to rely on extortion

President Trump announced a pretty significant threat, stating he won’t sign any other bills into law until the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE America Act, gets approved by the Senate. He’s really doubling down on his push to change voting requirements, especially with midterm elections on the horizon.

“I, as President, will not sign other Bills until this is passed, AND NOT THE WATERED DOWN VERSION – GO FOR THE GOLD: MUST SHOW VOTER I.D. & PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP: NO MAIL-IN BALLOTS EXCEPT FOR MILITARY – ILLNESS, DISABILITY…,” the president wrote in a Truth Social post on Sunday morning. This means he’s not just looking for any version of the bill; he wants the full package with strict requirements.

This is a pretty bold move, especially when you consider potential impacts on other crucial legislation. According to The Hill, the White House didn’t respond to requests for comment on whether Trump would sign a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, which is a big deal amid a partial government shutdown. 

You need to ask yourself why he is willing to be a bully about it

The president has been urging Senate Majority Leader John Thune to use a specific tactic called a talking filibuster to get the SAVE America Act passed. This bill actually sailed through the House in February before it stalled in the Senate. 

A talking filibuster would mean Democrats would have to speak continuously on the Senate floor if they wanted to delay a vote on the bill. If they stop talking, Republicans could potentially pass the measure with a simple 51-vote majority, completely sidestepping the usual 60-vote threshold.

Trump highlighted conservative activist Scott Pressler, praising him for discussing the filibuster tactic. He then told Thune, “It must be done immediately. It supersedes everything else. MUST GO TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE.” It definitely emphasizes the urgency he feels about this legislation.

However, Senator Thune isn’t budging on his stance, despite all the pressure from Trump. Thune actually ran for Senate majority leader on a commitment to uphold that 60-vote threshold, so sticking to his word is clearly important to him.

The SAVE America Act has a lot of support from House Republicans and has actually passed the lower chamber three separate times over the years. That shows you how much they want this to become law. Democrats, on the other hand, have pushed back pretty hard on the measure. They claim it would create significant challenges for registered voters and could even prevent some people from heading to the polls, which is a major concern for them.