President Donald Trump unexpectedly called off a scheduled signing ceremony for a bipartisan housing affordability bill today, leaving the measure’s future uncertain in what appeared to be a rebuke aimed at restive Republicans.
Trump announced the move on Truth Social just hours before the event was set to take place, saying he would not approve the housing legislation until Congress passes the SAVE America Act, an election-related proposal he has aggressively promoted during his second term.
‘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.
However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the chamber’s top Republican, has publicly acknowledged that the president’s signature voting measure does not currently have enough GOP backing to pass.
After the signing was scrapped, Trump arrived at the Senate lunch alongside Thune, briefly placing a hand on the majority leader’s back as they walked in together.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said the SAVE America Act must move first because, in his words, ‘they want a lot of communists to come in.’
Thune avoided questions from reporters before joining Trump outside the luncheon and offered no comment on the bill’s prospects or whether there had been any new movement on the SAVE America Act in the Senate.
‘Leader Thune, what’s the path on save America act,?’ one reporter called out as he quickly rounded the corner.
President Donald Trump abruptly canceled the signing of a bipartisan housing affordability bill today, putting the fate of the legislation into limbo
Voters have ranked cost of living as a critical issue heading into the Midterm elections
The President is now using the housing bill as a bargaining chip to seal the deal.
The SAVE America Act would effectively overhaul elections in 50 states and also add more requirements like proof of citizenship and mandatory voter ID.
He plans to march down to Capitol Hill himself on Wednesday to stare the GOP dissenters face-to-face in what is expected to be an explosive closed-door meeting.
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Trump’s anger comes the day after four Republicans voted to limit his Iran war powers, in an extraordinary rebuke.
And he’s had resistance from the right on passing an extension to a powerful ‘spy tool’ – FISA Section 702 – because of his more radical choice to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Bill Pulte.
The President was forced into a u-turn after Republicans revolted against Pulte, and instead tapped Jay Clayton, who was the US Attorney running the Southern District of New York.
Republicans waiting for Trump to arrive at the Capitol seemed unsurprised at the ongoing drama.
Outgoing GOP Senator John Cornyn of Texas told the Daily Mail that they don’t have ‘the votes’ to pass the SAVE Act.
If passed, the housing bill Trump is lording over Congress would lower the costs of housing – building more inventory of homes and limiting investors from purchasing single-family homes
Trump is still planning to attend a weekly Senate Republican lunch today. He was invited by Sen. Rick Scott, and they planned to discuss the SAVE act, along with other issues
‘At some point, we got to deal with reality,’ he said bluntly.
The MAGA-aligned Senator, who was snubbed by Trump in the primary after he endorsed his opponent Ken Paxton, said it could be an issue in the upcoming midterm elections.
The housing bill Trump is lording over Congress lowers the costs of housing – building more inventory of homes and limiting investors from purchasing single-family homes.
Voters have ranked cost of living as a critical issue heading into the midterm elections.
House Democrats reacted in a frenzy after the news broke on the cancelled signing – describing Trump’s decision to cancel the signing as impulsive.
‘All of a sudden, Donald Trump decides he’s not coming to sign the bill,’ Representative Ted Lieu, the House Democratic vice chair, said at a news conference. ‘Well, why is that? Did he wake up on the wrong side of the bed?’
