President Trump threatened to withhold his signature on all bills until Congress passes stricter federal voting requirements — a move that escalates his efforts to change election rules ahead of the 2026 midterms.
In a social media post Sunday, Trump said he won’t sign any bills into law until Congress passes the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act.
“I, as President, will not sign other Bills until this is passed,” Trump wrote.
If passed and made law, the measure would transform voter registration and voting in the U.S. It would require eligible voters to prove their citizenship with documents like a valid U.S. passport or a birth certificate and a valid photo I.D. It’s already illegal for non-U.S. citizens to vote in federal elections.
Trump said the legislation should “go to the front of the line.” He also praised a guest on Fox News who pressed for changes to Senate rules that require 60 votes to advance most legislation. Trump has previously asked Senators to abandon the filibuster in order to avoid the need for Democrats to back bills he favors.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has consistently pushed back on that pressure, saying any plans to change the filibuster do not have support in the GOP conference.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., reiterated that Democrats will not support to SAVE America Act.
“If Trump is saying he won’t sign any bills until the SAVE Act is passed, then so be it: there will be total gridlock in the Senate,” Schumer posted on X Sunday. “Senate Democrats will not help pass the SAVE Act under any circumstances.”
The GOP-controlled House has passed a few versions of the legislation, but Democrats and some voting rights activists have argued the measure would make voting harder for eligible voters.
The impact of Trump’s threat to withhold his signature on all bills remains unclear. If the House and Senate advance a bill and Congress remains in session, any bill would become law within 10 days even without a signature from Trump.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Trump would sign a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security or a supplemental military package paying for the Iran war.
The offices of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Thune did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
