President Donald Trump urged the Senate to pass stalled legislation before January, blaming both parties for delays and pointing to the SAVE America Act.
Speaking to reporters after arriving in Florida on Friday evening, Trump said Senate inaction had contributed to Republicans’ midterm losses. He pressed Republican leader John Thune and Democratic leader Chuck Schumer to work together.
No direct response from Thune or Schumer to these remarks was found in the sources reviewed for this report. Trump’s explanation of the election result is his assessment, not an established finding about why people voted.
Trump names the SAVE America Act
“The Senate has to act,” Trump said, according to a C-SPAN clip and a transcript published by Roll Call’s Factba.se. He accused Democrats of voting together against his agenda and some Republicans of blocking progress.
The fuller transcript makes clear that he named a specific bill: “The SAVE America Act didn’t get passed.” He linked that failure to his broader complaint about legislation not moving through the chamber.
Trump described the measure in terms of voter identification and proof of citizenship. He also suggested that opponents wanted to cheat, without presenting evidence for that accusation in this exchange. Opposition to a bill does not itself establish election wrongdoing.
Pressure on Thune, but no replacement named
Trump called Thune a good man while saying he needed to deliver results. Asked whether Thune remained the right Republican leader, the president said the decision belonged to Republican senators.
Just the News also reported Trump’s call for action ahead of the Senate’s return next week. Republicans retain their current majorities until the new Congress takes office in January, despite losing control in Tuesday’s election.
Trump identified several areas where he wanted movement:
- The SAVE America Act and other stalled legislation.
- Judges and other nominees awaiting Senate approval.
- Cooperation between the parties on matters they could advance together.
A short window before January
In the same question-and-answer session, Trump said he was open to working with Democrats on immigration, taxes and economic development. He did not announce an agreement with Democratic leaders or a timetable for passing a bill.
The immediate question is what lawmakers can agree to do during the remaining session. Trump’s remarks set out his demands, but did not resolve the disputes behind the delays.
Sources: C-SPAN; Roll Call / Factba.se; Just the News.
