Thune Says SAVE Act Doesn’t Have Votes As Trump Pushes Filibuster Change
Senate Republicans are confronting a difficult procedural roadblock in their effort to advance a key election integrity bill strongly backed by President Donald J. Trump.
During a closed-door lunch meeting Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune informed Republican colleagues that the party currently lacks the votes needed to push forward a House-passed voting reform measure by forcing Democrats into a so-called “talking filibuster,” according to reports.
The legislation in question, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, widely known as the SAVE Act, would require proof of citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections. The bill has been championed by President Trump as a critical safeguard to ensure that only American citizens participate in the nation’s elections.
Trump Pushes Congress to Act
Trump emphasized the importance of the bill during a policy meeting Monday with House Republicans and later reiterated the message while speaking in Florida.
“It will guarantee the midterms. If you don’t get it, big trouble,” Trump said, according to reporting from The Hill.
The president has also applied increasing pressure on Senate Republicans to adopt the aggressive procedural strategy known as a talking filibuster — a maneuver that would force Democratic senators to continuously hold the floor and debate the legislation if they want to block it. Such a tactic could stretch debate for days or even weeks.
Supporters argue that requiring Democrats to maintain nonstop debate could eventually wear down opposition and allow the measure to advance with a simple majority vote.
Republican Divisions Over Strategy
Some conservatives in the Senate are urging leadership to pursue the tactic.
Among the most vocal proponents are Mike Lee of Utah and Rick Scott of Florida, who believe the strategy could break the legislative stalemate surrounding the SAVE Act.
Lee reportedly outlined the case for the approach during Tuesday’s Republican meeting, arguing that sustained debate might increase public pressure on Democrats to allow the bill to pass.
But Thune and several other GOP senators remain skeptical.
They worry that launching a prolonged floor fight could paralyze Senate operations for weeks — or even months — without guaranteeing that the bill ultimately clears the chamber.
According to The Hill, Thune said his staff could not identify any historical precedent in which legislation successfully passed using a similar strategy involving repeated procedural votes and marathon debate sessions.
Trump’s Influence Looms Over GOP Politics
The debate is unfolding amid growing political pressure from the White House.
Trump has also withheld his endorsement in the closely watched Republican Senate primary in Texas between longtime incumbent John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Republican leaders have reportedly urged the president to back Cornyn, arguing that he may have a stronger chance of winning the general election. However, Trump has so far declined to take sides.
When asked whether Trump’s delay could be connected to disagreements over the talking filibuster strategy, Thune acknowledged that possibility.
“Yeah, I mean, that’s probably not a linkage that is in anybody’s best interest because voting on the SAVE America Act is something we can do but passage is not guaranteed,” Thune said. “You have to make political decisions independent of what the final disposition of that might be on the floor.”
Trump Draws Hard Line on Election Integrity
Meanwhile, President Trump has made it clear that passage of the SAVE Act remains one of his top legislative priorities.
In a recent post on Truth Social, the president signaled he is prepared to halt other legislative business until the bill becomes law.
“It supersedes everything else. MUST GO TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE. I, as President, will not sign other Bills until this is passed, AND NOT THE WATERED DOWN VERSION — GO FOR THE GOLD: MUST SHOW VOTER I.D. & PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP: NO MAIL-IN BALLOTS EXCEPT FOR MILITARY — ILLNESS, DISABILITY, TRAVEL: NO MEN IN WOMEN’S SPORTS: NO TRANSGENDER MUTILIZATION FOR CHILDREN! DO NOT FAIL!!!”
Trump also indicated he is willing to escalate the fight if necessary.
“I would close government over it,” Trump said. “To me, that’s a core belief.”
As debate intensifies on Capitol Hill, the clash over the SAVE Act is shaping up to be one of the most consequential legislative battles ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.