Between military adventurism in Iran and some backsliding on life issues, some in MAGA land have begun to question President Donald Trump’s legendary political instincts.
But Trump’s sixth sense for the Swamp and its slimy creatures was as razor-sharp as ever Wednesday when he canceled a ceremony and signing of the uniparty’s so-called affordable housing bill. He then threatened that he wouldn’t sign the hefty measure until the GOP-controlled Senate passes a critical voter verification package long languishing in the Upper House.
“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,” the president wrote on Truth Social.
Trump has had Enough
Also referred to as the SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) Act, the bill would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and photo ID to cast a ballot in them.
Democrats hate it because laws that make it harder to cheat make it harder for the left to win elections. So the Senate minority have stood united in blocking the reform package. Republicans, which — unbeknownst to them — control the Senate, have treated the Democrats’ filibuster unity and the work it would take to break it as a kind of kryptonite. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and his leadership team have thrown up their arms and surrendered, saying they don’t have the numbers in the GOP conference to do anything more than the pathetic debate theater we saw in March.
Trump, in a word, has had it.
The president gave Senate Republicans a tongue-lashing at a heated closed-door lunch Wednesday. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., was there. He tells The Federalist that Trump expressed his “disappointment” about the Senate’s passage of a congressional resolution demanding the commander-in-chief withdraw America’s armed forces from Iran — thanks to four Republicans senators. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said Trump was as “mad as a murder hornet” about the resolution, according to The Washington Post.
“He wanted to know why would Democrats want to undermine a president trying to get a peace deal, and why would four Republican senators undermine him,” Johnson said of the political treachery of lawmakers who have repeatedly called on Trump to end the war.
Late Wednesday, two of the senators who voted for the resolution, Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Rand Paul, Ky., changed their votes, blocking the symbolic rebuke. Paul voted “present.” Cassidy voted against it, CNN reported. A surprising move just hours after he and Trump reportedly got into a shouting match during the lunch.
The president had plenty to say about the SAVE Act, too. He exhorted the senators to get the extremely popular election integrity package through the Democrats’ filibuster and onto his desk, Johnson said.
“The president said what I’ve been saying for weeks, that the Democrats are going to do it anyway” when they’re back in power, Wisconsin’s senior senator said in a phone interview. “He said if we do pass the SAVE America Act [by nuking the filibuster], we could pass some other very good things for the American people.”
‘He Chose to Stand Firm’
Trump stuck to his guns. And amped up the pressure on what has called his No. 1 domestic priority.
He’s right. A combination of the Biden era invasion of millions of illegal immigrants and filthy voter rolls has understandably shaken voter confidence in U.S. elections. That’s especially true among Republican voters.
A poll released on Wednesday found 52 percent of swing state Wisconsin voters “doubt that elections across the country were conducted accurately.” And 31 percent of respondents overall said they aren’t confident the 2026 elections will be conducted accurately, with 54 percent of Republicans expressing doubts.
While Democrats lashed out and some Republicans muttered beneath their breath, conservative election integrity groups gave Trump’s maneuver the thumbs up. The Election Transparency Initiative (ETI) praised the president and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, a bulldog on the SAVE America Act for their “unwavering commitment to election integrity.”
“President Trump could have taken the easy path and signed the housing bill. Instead, he chose to stand firm on election integrity,” said ETI Chairman Ken Cuccinelli in a press release. “He stood on principle when many others would have chosen convenience. President Trump has shown the kind of leadership on this issue that is too often missing in Washington.”
Thune repeated his mantra, We don’t have the votes.
Call it a deficit of courage.
“This issue is not going to go away,” Johnson said. “Too many of my Republican colleagues want to wish this away.” He added that Trump brought up a good point during the “tense” luncheon. Republicans are up against a very determined far left that aims to destroy the nearly 250-year-old republic with their policies.
“We’re literally fighting for the survival of this country,” the senator said.
‘A Nice-Sounding Name’
While Trump uses the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act to tighten the political vice, he sounds like he has some serious misgivings about the bill broadly embraced by Republican and Democratic leadership alike. And this is where his swamp-smelling instincts seem to be kicking in again. Whenever Republicans and Democrats overwhelmingly pass anything, something usually stinks.
When leftist Sen. Elizabeth Warren takes a leading role on a bipartisan bill, run from it as fast as you can. On Truth Social, the president described the legislation as an “Elizabeth ‘Pocahontas’ Warren centric housing bill,” asserting that the “affordability” bill is of “minor importance compared to lower interest rates” — and the essential SAVE America Act.
Trump has supported the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act along its long and bumpy road to passage. He called it “the most comprehensive and consequential housing legislation in the history of our country.”
Trump is right to hesitate and take a closer look at what Congress hath wrought. Its proponents, and there are many in a housing sector that stand to benefit, have sold the bill as “deficit-neutral.” The Congressional Budget Office says so, so it must be so. But read the fine print with an eye to the future.
“While the bill authorizes a small handful of pilot programs, it requires Congress to appropriate funding later, meaning Congress ultimately retains full control over whether any dollars are spent,” a Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs states in a Myth vs. Fact sheet.
Congress retains full control? Sure, but what kind of Congress? One controlled by big government leftists? Would that Congress say no to the question, should we spend?
Johnson was one of just five senators who voted against the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, all Republicans. He told The Federalist the bill is bad policy, pushing more government into the marketplace which will ultimately force more spending and bigger government. Johnson noted the bill has a “nice sounding name, just like the Affordable Care Act.”
‘Get on the Ball’
With a spine shortage on the Republican side of the Senate aisle, conservatives are pushing the “talking filibuster” and other means to move the election integrity bill. The House Speaker on Wednesday said the only path to passage is through a reconciliation bill. That’s been tried. Senate RINOs stopped the effort dead in its tracks.
Saving the SAVE Act better be a priority for the Senate’s GOP majority or they well could lose the power Trump delivered for them in 2024’s election.
Political analyst and pollster Matt Towery told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham this week that the SAVE Act is what will save the Republican Party.
“And they better get on the ball or they’ll be the ones who cost us the midterms,” Towery said.
Trump, per usual, says go big or go home. That promise is what brought voters out and put Republicans back in control of the Senate. They would do well by the country and themselves (their first concern) to heed Trump’s political instincts on this one.
