In a stunning turn of events that left Capitol Hill scrambling, Donald Trump cancelled a bipartisan housing bill just hours before the signing ceremony.
The Senate had just reached a breakthrough on housing affordability legislation that was expected to pass the House and reach Trump's desk. But the president reversed course. On Wednesday afternoon, Trump announced on Truth Social that he was cancelling the signing ceremony unless Republicans passed the SAVE Act—his controversial voter eligibility package that would nullify millions of voter registrations.
"Today's Housing News Conference and Signing is hereby cancelled," Trump wrote, calling the SAVE Act a "National Emergency." He was tying popular legislation to the passage of an electorally unpopular bill that most Republicans are reluctant to support.
Democratic senators objected sharply. "It says to me that Donald Trump just doesn't care about the cost squeeze on American families," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the bill's primary Democratic sponsor.
Trump lacks the votes to pass the SAVE Act. He is nowhere near the 60-vote threshold needed in the Senate, and Republicans will not eliminate the filibuster to force it through. Instead of securing a legislative win, he has abandoned bipartisan cooperation to pursue legislation he cannot pass.
Lawmakers across the aisle are furious. The decision sabotages housing legislation that could aid American families in favour of a legislative demand he cannot achieve.
