ANALYSIS
Trump presses House Republicans: Immediate unity to fund border security and reform 'rigged' election system
In several messages broadcast on Truth Social, the president first called for unblocking DHS funding and, in addition, combined that call with warnings about the imperative need to move the SAVE ACT forward.
Donald Trump at the White House/ Saul Loeb
President Trump stepped up his direct pressure on House Republicans on Monday, demanding partisan discipline both to push ambitious election reform through the Save America Act and to resolve the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
In several messages broadcast on Truth Social, the president first called for unblocking DHS funding and combined that call with warnings about the need to reform the "rigged" election system.
Pressure to speed up DHS deal
In one of his posts, the president praised the House speaker, Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), for his effort to end the Democratic shutdown of DHS that has now lasted more than 10 weeks. Trump noted that the Senate already passed the base bill last week and set a June 1 deadline to have the final text on his desk, with the goal of ensuring full funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol agents (CBP).
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"House Republicans must unify, and pass the same blueprint to get the bill done," he insisted.
Trump made clear that any internal division is unacceptable and that Republicans must act "fast and focused" to overcome Democratic obstruction by using budget reconciliation.
Either we "fix" the elections, or "we won’t have a country any longer"
At the same time, the president raised the tone on election integrity, calling the current system a "rigged" and a "laughingstock" internationally. Trump called on all Republicans to fight for passage of the Save America Act, an initiative that includes three core measures:
- All voters must show voter ID (identification).
- All voters must show proof of citizenship in order to vote.
- No mail‑in ballots (except for illness, disability, military, or travel).
The president noted on Truth Social that either we "fix" the elections, or "we won’t have a country any longer," warning that, without these reforms, the United States risks losing its electoral system.
Tensions in the House
According to Johnson, the current text would "orphan" funding for key immigration agencies such as the ICE and the CBP, by explicitly excluding them from the first package. Those agencies would be funded in a second measure through the budget reconciliation process, which only requires Republican votes.
"It has some problematic language because it was haphazardly drafted," Johnson told reporters. "We have a modified version that I think is going to be much better for both chambers."
The Republican emphasized that the changes would not substantially alter the content of the bill, but would ensure that major immigration enforcement agencies would not be starved of funding. "We have to make sure that immigration law is enforced and that the border is safe and secure," he added.
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