Trump Demands Congress Pass SAVE America Act Amid Senate Deadlock

President Donald Trump delivered a primetime White House address on July 16, demanding the immediate passage of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act before the 2026 midterms. Trump declassified intelligence alleging that China stole 220 million U.S. voter files and cited a Department of Homeland Security review identifying approximately 278,000 non-citizens registered to vote in federal elections. He called for investigations by the FBI, CIA, and DOJ into these vulnerabilities and the alleged suppression of evidence by the "Deep State."

The legislation would require physical proof of citizenship for registration, mandate photo identification for ballots, and require states to share registration records with the Department of Homeland Security. Trump also sought to expand the bill to limit mail-in voting and ban gender-affirming surgeries for minors and transgender athletes in women's sports.

Despite passing the House, the bill is stalled in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader John Thune stated Republicans lack the 60 votes needed to overcome a Democratic filibuster. Senator Thom Tillis further criticized the act as fundamentally flawed and impossible to implement by the November elections, threatening to stall the government if the bill returns via a reconciliation package. Democratic leaders, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and Senator Patty Murray, condemned the act as voter suppression designed to steal power from the people.