Trump holds landmark affordable housing bill hostage over his pet issue: The ‘national emergency’ of voter ID

Key Points:

• President Trump canceled a scheduled bill signing at the Capitol, demanding Congress first pass the SAVE America Act, which he deems a national emergency; the bill includes stricter voter ID requirements and other provisions opposed by Democrats as voter suppression.
• Trump is meeting with Senate Republicans amid growing frustration over his focus on the voting bill, his blocking of nominee confirmations, and pressure on funding unrelated projects, while some GOP senators have become critical after losing primary support due to his endorsements.
• Senate Majority Leader John Thune acknowledges the voting bill’s passage is unrealistic without removing the filibuster, which lacks the 60 votes needed, and hopes the meeting will foster party unity ahead of midterm elections despite internal divisions.
• Some GOP senators, including Rick Scott and Mike Lee, strongly support advancing the SAVE America Act and pushing to eliminate the filibuster, creating tension within the party as others warn this approach risks further division and unrealistic expectations.
• Additional topics expected at the Senate GOP luncheon include Trump’s delay in confirming a national intelligence director, his hardline stance on renewing surveillance laws tied to the voting bill, and questions regarding the Iran war agreement, with senators emphasizing the need for unity.