GOP Preps for Trump Visit as Thune Emphasizes Defense Bill Over SAVE Act

Tomorrow, President Donald Trump will be at the Capitol speaking with senators about the SAVE America Act. When asked about the meeting’s priorities, Senate Majority Leader John Thune told the press he has others.

Amid major disagreements within the Senate GOP, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., invited the president to attend the Senate Steering Committee lunch on Wednesday, which he chairs. Trump plans to speak with the majority party about the importance of passing the act.

On Monday, Scott sent a letter to colleagues listing the party’s priorities and urging members to be vocal about what they think can be done to pass the SAVE America Act. When asked to respond to the letter, Thune didn’t mention the election integrity bill and instead said senators should “first and foremost” focus on the $1.5 trillion defense authorization bill.

“I think that there are many things that were mentioned, probably in that letter, that all of us are supportive of,” Thune wrote. “We have to figure out, how do we maximize our opportunity, optimize the chance to get as much as done as we can in the amount of time that we have left between now and midterm elections.”

The fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act recently passed out of the Senate Armed Services Committee and is scheduled for a floor vote soon.

Thune suggested that there are other items on the list that could at some point pass, depending “whether or not they have bipartisan support.” However, he did not clarify if he believes one of these possibilities to be the SAVE America Act.

Trump, however, made his agenda for Wednesday clear. “We’re just going to talk about SAVE America,” he told Elizabeth Mitchell, the Daily Signal’s White House correspondent.

“We have to pass the SAVE America Act, which is voter ID, which is proof of citizenship. We have to pass it. So were gonna have a talk about that and many other things,” Trump continued.

Thune, again not mentioning the president’s priority, said, “We’ve got a list. It’s all going to depend largely on what comes together in the next few weeks, but I can assure you we’re going to be active and busy and trying to create that record of accomplishment.”