President Donald Trump speaks at General Motors' Proving Ground in Milford, Michigan, on Monday (local time). [AFP]
President Donald Trump speaks at General Motors' Proving Ground in Milford, Michigan, on Monday (local time). [AFP]

The Herald Business international desk delivers a daily briefing on Trump-related issues through its "1 Trump a Day" newsletter and series. Click "Original Article" below the headline and byline at the top of this article to read more.

President Donald Trump has pressed Republican Senate leadership to pass the so-called SAVE Act — a bill that would require proof of citizenship and photo identification for voter registration and at the polls — before Congress breaks for recess. Republicans, however, do not have enough votes to clear the bill in the Senate, deepening divisions within the party.

According to the Associated Press, Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday that Senate Republican floor leader John Thune "should not allow the United States Senate to go on recess until the SAVE Act is passed, or at the very least, the filibuster — the procedural tactic used to indefinitely delay legislation — is eliminated."

Trump repeated the pressure when speaking with reporters that day, insisting he has a good relationship with Thune while adding that "he has to do his job."

Trump has made passing the SAVE Act his top legislative priority for months, arguing that election integrity must be secured ahead of the November midterm elections.

Thune, however, has maintained a cautious stance, saying he does not yet have enough votes to pass the bill. He told reporters, "We've already voted on this one, two, three, four, five times. Show me how we win."

Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the Senate to the Democrats' 47, giving them a majority — but most legislation requires 60 votes to end a filibuster, meaning Republicans cannot advance the bill on their own.

Some Republicans are exploring whether to use the budget reconciliation process to bypass the filibuster and pass the bill with a simple majority.

The House last week approved a budget measure allocating $10 billion toward election system changes aligned with the SAVE Act. But Thune said even that path would require near-unanimous support from Republican senators and expressed skepticism that the votes are there.

Thune has said he wants the Senate to focus on other pressing matters before the summer recess begins Aug. 7, including a government funding bill, cryptocurrency legislation and sanctions against Russia.

The push has drawn mixed reactions within the party.

Sen. Mike Lee, who has led efforts to advance the SAVE Act, pressed party leadership by saying "leaders need to lead," while Sen. John Kennedy suggested Thune was being overly cautious.

Sen. Thom Tillis, by contrast, said most Republican senators back Thune's position and that "the president needs to face reality." Sen. John Cornyn also warned that "continuing to raise expectations without delivering results won't help us in the midterms either."

The SAVE Act would require voters to prove US citizenship through a passport or birth certificate when registering to vote, and to present a photo ID at the polls. Some states already have similar systems in place.

Election experts, however, warn that as many as 20 million eligible voters may lack easy access to required documents such as birth certificates, and that the law could effectively disenfranchise a significant number of Americans if enacted.


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