WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump announced Friday that he will not sign a bipartisan housing affordability bill approved by Congress, saying he is protesting the Senate’s failure to pass the SAVE America Act, a separate election bill that would establish stricter voter identification requirements.
In a post on social media, Trump wrote:
“I will not sign the Housing Bill, which has been fully approved by Congress and sent to the White House, in PROTEST over the fact that the United States Senate is not capable of passing THE SAVE AMERICA ACT.”
Despite Trump’s decision not to sign the legislation, the bill is still expected to become law. Under the U.S. Constitution, if a president neither signs nor vetoes a bill within 10 days while Congress remains in session, it automatically becomes law without the president’s signature.
The legislation, known as the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, is considered the most significant federal effort in decades to address America’s housing affordability crisis. The measure is designed to reduce housing costs, encourage new home construction, streamline permitting processes, expand affordable housing opportunities, and help increase the nation’s housing supply.
The president’s move also highlights growing tensions within his own party as lawmakers continue debating election reform measures ahead of the midterm elections. Trump had previously delayed action on the housing bill in an effort to pressure the Senate into advancing the SAVE America Act, which currently does not have enough support to pass.
While Trump’s refusal to sign the bill is an unusual political statement, it does not stop the legislation from taking effect unless he formally vetoes it before the constitutional deadline expires.
The housing package is expected to become law later Friday without the president’s signature, marking a rare instance of major bipartisan legislation taking effect despite the president’s public opposition.
