President Donald Trump insisted Friday that voter ID requirements will be in place for this year’s midterm elections regardless of congressional approval, escalating his push for sweeping changes to how Americans vote.
“There will be Voter I.D. for the Midterm Elections, whether approved by Congress or not!” the president wrote on Truth Social. He also said he “searched the depths” of legal arguments on the issue and would be “presenting an irrefutable one in the very near future,” though he did not specify what legal rationale he would rely on.
“If we can’t get it through Congress, there are Legal reasons why this SCAM is not permitted,” Trump wrote in a separate lengthy post shortly after, adding that he would present his justification in the form of an executive order.
Trump has been personally involved in efforts to tighten voter registration standards nationwide, backing the SAVE America Act — an updated GOP election bill that would overhaul federal voting rules. The legislation would require voters to show proof of citizenship to register, mandate photo ID when voting in person and direct states to remove noncitizens from existing voter rolls.
The House passed the bill, 218-213, on Wednesday after mounting pressure from Trump, but its path remains unclear in the Senate. Republicans privately acknowledged that the bill will face a filibuster hurdle from Democrats and they lack enough support to get it to the president’s desk.
The bill is the latest attempt by Republicans to reshape election law, driven by Trump’s false claims that the 2020 presidential election was “rigged” following his defeat. The measure drew support from prominent figures including tech mogul Elon Musk and even MAGA-aligned Nicki Minaj, who rallied fans to pressure their senators to pass it.
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