While the SAVE America Act already faces an uphill battle in the U.S. Senate, President Donald Trump recommended more provisions this week that might require another vote in the House. Those might make it even harder to pass.
“If we get this, they probably won’t win an election in 50 years,” Trump told lawmakers Monday, referring to Democrats.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s going on with the legislation and what it has to do with the upcoming midterm elections.
First, the SAVE America Act’s main goal is to implement new ID requirements for voting, including proof if ID and citizenship. Trump also wants it to restrict mail-in ballot voting to cases where people are ill, have a disability, are in the military or are travelling.
It is already illegal for non-citizens to vote in U.S. elections and, despite claims from Trump and other Republicans, data shows that election fraud is rare, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. Opponents of the legislation, such as the League of Women Voters, argue that it simply makes it harder for American citizens to vote – including married women who have changed their name and people who have lost documents in natural disasters – while also placing new burdens on election officials.
“Although instances of noncitizen registration and voting are rare, the SAVE America Act’s goal of ensuring that only citizens can register to vote is important,” said the Bipartisan Policy Center. “But there are easier, more cost-effective ways to improve citizenship verification that don’t create new barriers for eligible voters.”
In a Sunday Truth Social post, Trump said he wants lawmakers to pass a version of the bill that is not “watered down.” He said it should include requirements for voter ID, proof of citizenship, no mail in ballots except for the limited exceptions and new additions related to gender and sports as well as gender-affirming care for children.
While Trump said “THE SAVE AMERICA ACT is by far the most popular Bill of its kind ever put before Congress!” in a Tuesday Truth Social post, efforts to pass earlier versions of the legislation failed “in the face of nationwide public opposition,” the Brennan Center noted last month.
It said its research shows that the SAVE America Act requirements could impact more than 21 million Americans who lack ready access to their documents. Furthermore, it said that the legislation proposes having states hand their voter rolls to the Department of Homeland Security “to run through the agency’s flawed citizenship verification tool.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has warned that the bill’s chances of passing in the Senate don’t look great. He has also said that methods suggested by some Republicans – like forcing Democrats to use a talking filibuster – also aren’t likely to work either, The Hill reported this week.
“The votes aren’t there for a talking filibuster,” Thune said Tuesday, according to POLITICO. “It’s just a reality.”
Trump reiterated his new hopes for the SAVE America Act Monday while speaking to lawmakers in Florida, again explaining that he wants even more provisions added to the bill. He called mail-in ballots a “disaster.”
“If it takes you six months… I’m not approving anything. I don’t think we should approve anything until this is approved,” said the president. He also said passing the SAVE America Act should “guarantee” Republican success in the midterms.
However, Thune said that the new provisions would have to be added to another version of the legislation that would need to be passed again in the House, The 19th reported Tuesday.
“Those were all things that weren’t part of what they sent over here to us,” he told reporters Monday, per the outlet. “Whatever we take up here is an open question now, because the thing we have in front of us is the House message, so it would probably make sense for them to send over another version.”
As Trump argues that passing the act should be “the easiest thing,” POLITICO reported Tuesday that the new version outlined by Trump is now “facing serious doubts from senior House Republicans who aren’t convinced it can pass the chamber a third time.” In particular, it said “Trump’s demand for a near-total ban on mail voting,” is an obstacle – it was left out of the version that was on the House floor last month due to “some Republicans’ internal concerns,” the outlet said.
The 19th also said that “adding anti-trans measures and mail-in ballot restrictions further complicates any chance of passage.”
Trump told lawmakers Monday that it will be “big trouble” for the midterms if the legislation doesn’t pass. He’s also reportedly withholding an endorsement in a Texas Republican primary in an effort to push forward the legislation.
“In recent days, he’s gone so far as to indicate he might withhold an endorsement of Sen. John Cornyn in his primary runoff with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton – an endorsement GOP leadership would very much like to see – until the Senate passes the voting bill,” CNN reported this week. According to the outlet, Thune has urged Trump not to link his endorsement with the legislation.
Meanwhile, CNN also said that “polls from CNN, the Washington Post, Fox News and NBC News all show Democrats are significantly more likely to be passionate about voting in the 2026 midterms,” as Republicans struggle to pass the SAVE America Act. Recent PBS News/NPR/Maris polling also found that Americans are increasingly concerned about voter suppression, particularly Democrats.
Ultimately, the SAVE America Act would need 60 votes to pass in the Senate before hitting the president’s desk. Though the GOP has a majority, they still only have 53 votes, meaning they would need to bring Democrats to their side.
