Trump threatens to withhold endorsements from lawmakers over SAVE Act votes

President Donald Trump warned on Tuesday that he will not endorse any lawmaker who votes against the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, escalating pressure on Republicans as the bill heads to the Senate.

Trump made the pledge in a Truth Social post Tuesday morning, warning that any Republican or Democrat who opposes the measure would face political consequences.

“The Save America Act is one of the most IMPORTANT & CONSEQUENTIAL pieces of legislation in the history of Congress, and America itself,” Trump wrote.

“I WILL NEVER (EVER!) ENDORSE ANYONE WHO VOTES AGAINST ‘SAVE AMERICA!!!’”

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Trump has long pushed for stricter election laws — making election integrity a central pillar of his 2024 campaign — and has repeatedly questioned the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to former President Joe Biden.

The SAVE Act would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and impose stricter voter ID rules.

Trump said the bill also touches on issues including mail-in voting, transgender athletes and medical care for minors.

“No Men in Women’s Sports, No Transgender MUTILIZATION of our Children. 90% to 99% ISSUES ALL! Only sick, demented, or deranged people in the House or Senate could vote against THE SAVE AMERICA ACT. If they do, each one of these points, separately, will be used against the user in his/her political campaign for office – A guaranteed loss.”

The GOP-led House passed the bill in February, largely along party lines.

Trump and his allies argue the legislation would prevent noncitizens from voting and strengthen election security, while critics say it could disenfranchise eligible voters who lack documentation.

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The bill now faces steep odds in the Senate, where it would need 60 votes to overcome a filibuster — a threshold Republicans do not currently have given their 53–47 majority.

Some conservatives have pushed to force a “talking filibuster” or change Senate rules to bypass that threshold and pass the bill with a simple majority, but GOP leaders have said they lack the votes within their own conference to take that step.

Senate Majority Leader John ThuneJohn Thune has indicated the votes are not there to pass the measure, and most Democrats are expected to oppose it.

“It’s about the math,” Thune said. “And I’m, for better or worse, the one who has to be a clear-eyed realist about what we can achieve here.”

Republicans are expected to force a vote to put Democrats on record opposing the bill, but the measure faces steep odds of clearing the Senate’s 60-vote threshold.

Cracks have also emerged within the GOPwithin the GOP.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., a supporter of the bill, acknowledged Republicans “don’t have the votes for the talking filibuster right now” while Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., has opposed the legislation and said he plans to “do everything I can to prevent it from even moving forward.” Tillis has objected to the bill’s scope, arguing it goes beyond voter ID and warning against imposing sweeping federal mandates on states.

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Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, has also come out against the bill, warning that new federal mandates could disrupt state election systems.

The internal divisions come as Trump ramps up pressure on lawmakers, urging voters to contact their senators and back the legislation, which he has described as one of the most consequential bills in U.S. history.

Fox News’ Alex Miller and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.