Donald Trump has abruptly cancelled the signing of a major bipartisan housing bill that the Senate passed last night, using it as leverage to pressure Congress to pass his proof-of-citizenship voting bill, the SAVE AMERICA Act. GOP leaders have repeatedly stated that the voting bill has no chance of passing.
Trump's Truth Social Announcement
On Truth Social, Trump posted: “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 housing bill was seen as a chance for the Republican party to demonstrate a shift toward a more affordability-focused agenda ahead of November’s crucial midterm elections. Trump’s cancellation undermines that message.
Impact on GOP Relations
The move is expected to heighten tensions at the Senate GOP lunch scheduled for 1pm ET, which Trump is due to attend. Speaking about the lunch yesterday, Trump said: “We’re just going to talk about SAVE America. We have to pass the SAVE America Act. So we’re going to have to talk about that and many other things.” The housing bill had broad bipartisan support, passing the Senate with a significant margin, but Trump’s decision to cancel its signing could alienate moderate Republicans and voters concerned about housing affordability.
