Trump Says He Will Sign No Bills Until Congress Passes SAVE America Act

President Donald Trump said Sunday that he will not sign any bills into law until Congress passes the SAVE America Act, escalating his push to change election rules before the 2026 midterms, according to NPR and NBC News.

“I, as President, will not sign other Bills until this is passed,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that it should “go to the front of the line” and that a “watered down” version would not do, NBC News reported. The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act would require voters to prove citizenship with documents such as a valid U.S. passport or birth certificate and to show a valid photo ID, NPR reported. NPR noted that it is already illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections. Trump’s post also asked for provisions that NBC News said are not in the House-approved bill.

In a phone call with NBC News, Trump said, “I would close government over it,” NBC News reported.

The House, controlled by Republicans, has passed a few versions of the bill, NPR said, but it faces an uphill battle in the Senate, where most legislation needs 60 votes to advance. Trump praised a Fox News guest who urged changes to the Senate’s rules and has previously asked senators to abandon the filibuster, according to NPR. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has consistently said a change to the filibuster lacks support in the Republican conference, NPR reported. NBC News said Thune faces pressure from the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and House Republicans to try a “talking filibuster,” an effort to outlast Democrats and get around the 60-vote threshold. Thune said it would be difficult to reopen the government if the chamber were “in the throes of a talking filibuster,” and added that the conference is not unified enough for it, NBC News reported.

Democrats said they will not help. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote on X: “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. Senate Democrats will not help pass the SAVE Act under any circumstances.” Democrats and some voting rights activists argue the measure would make voting harder for eligible voters, NPR reported.

The practical effect of the threat is unclear. If both chambers pass a bill and Congress remains in session, it becomes law after 10 days without the president’s signature, both outlets noted. The pledge comes as the government faces a partial shutdown over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, NBC News reported, so even a deal on funding might go unsigned. NPR said the White House did not immediately say whether Trump would sign a Homeland Security funding bill or a supplemental military package for the Iran war, and the offices of House Speaker Mike Johnson and Thune did not immediately respond to NPR’s questions.