WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Wednesday canceled his plans to sign a bipartisan housing bill, refusing to do so until Congress passes his priority legislation, the SAVE America Act, a sweeping elections bill.
“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,” he wrote on Truth Social.
Trump did not address the bill in brief comments to reporters after he met with Republican senators for lunch on Capitol Hill and it is still not clear if he plans to sign the bill at all.
Wednesday’s reversal highlights the growing tensions between Trump and Senate Republicans, many of whom have said they feel blindsided by the president’s actions. The move has also frustrated Republicans, who feel they need to show they are listening to voters’ concerns ahead of the midterm elections.
Trump has repeatedly pressured Republicans to pass the SAVE America Act, which would overhaul elections in all 50 states and add new proof-of-citizenship and voter ID requirements.
After the meeting, Trump told reporters that the party is “unified” but added he did not like some of the members.
“We’re very proud of the party. We like our leader; we like everybody, really, in the room. I don’t like a few people, but that’s OK,” he said.
Two sources familiar told FWRD AXIS News that Trump did not focus on the housing bill during the lunch, instead shifting his focus to the election bill and the Iran war. That led to a shouting match between Trump and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.).
Cassidy told reporters that he stood up and “lost my temper” over a lack of information from the administration on Iran.
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said he did not know what would happen with the housing bill after the meeting.
“I think everybody walked out with the very same opinion they had before he came in,” Cramer said of the filibuster. “But, you know, but we heard him out.”
