Trump breaks with GOP over Luna’s threat to stall bills over ID law

Representative Anna Paulina Luna has upset several of her Republican colleagues – and President Donald Trump himself – with a pledge to hold up all legislation in the House of Representatives until the controversial SAVE America Act is passed. In a post to his Truth Social site on Thursday afternoon, Trump stated that ‘House Republicans should unify, and stop voting down ‘Rules’ or, threatening to do so.’ ‘Giving power to the Radical Left Democrats in the House to control what goes up for a Vote will make our outcomes worse, not better. No more grandstanding, please! Trump barked. The post came after the president met with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson earlier on Thursday at the White House. Luna said consideration of her amendment on the SAVE America Act would make her stand down. The SAVE America Act would require Americans to show a passport, birth certificate or REAL ID to vote student IDs and utility bills would not qualify. The bill needs 60 votes to pass, far more than the simple majority it cleared in a procedural test vote in March. It’s widely viewed as dead on arrival given Republicans’ slim Senate majority.

On Wednesday, Trump canceled a planned signing of a bipartisan housing affordability bill, saying he will not approve it until Congress passes the SAVE America Act, an election measure he has labeled a ‘National Emergency.’ The shock move left the housing bill in limbo and put pressure on Senate Republicans, despite Majority Leader John Thune acknowledging the voting proposal does not have enough GOP support to pass. Trump traveled to Capitol Hill himself to speak directly to Republican holdouts. And he also got into a shouting match with GOP rebels against his war with Iran. Four Republicans voted to limit his Iran war powers, and they got an earful from the President himself.

Luna – who is a close Trump ally – said she would ‘not be voting’ to reopen the floor and pass any other bills until the Senate returns to vote on Trump’s signature bill. Due to the GOP’s tiny majority, Luna has the power to stop legislation from reaching the floor by whipping up votes from her allies to vote ‘no’ on a rule – the crucial step before a bill can be passed. But Trump disagreed with her approach, writing on Truth Social that Republicans should ‘stop voting down rules or threatening to do so.’

House members still have many priorities to vote on, including the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the Farm Bill, and even another stab at budget reconciliation. Even some of Luna’s House colleagues disagree with her methods, including Tennessee Republican Chuck Fleischmann. ‘I suffered for that yesterday on the floor, and this week with not being able to get that done. Having said that, any member in our caucus has the right, I think, to pursue the strategies that they deem to be appropriate,’ Fleischmann told the Daily Mail. North Carolina Republican Tim Moore, who authored his state’s voter ID law, called the SAVE America Act ‘very important’ but warned it shouldn’t crowd out housing, fuel costs, infrastructure and education.

Indiana’s Erin Houchin echoed that, telling the Daily Mail the bill could pass through reconciliation without sacrificing other priorities. Colorado’s Lauren Boebert backed Luna’s hardball tactics, telling the Daily Mail she is ‘absolutely supportive of holding the line and not opening the House floor.’ She called the Senate’s departure ‘a slap in the face to every single American.’ Luna defended her approach, telling the Daily Mail the SAVE America Act is ‘an 80/20 issue’ whose supporters will reward members at the midterms. ‘Being elected to Congress does not mean falling in line,’ she said. ‘The people are with us, the President is with us, and history is on our side,’ also adding, ‘Btw, love those guys. They love me too.’