Four Senate Republicans Block SAVE Act in Latest Split With Trump as Fellow GOP Senator Says They 'Betrayed Their Constituents'

Republican senators joined Democrats on Thursday to block another effort to advance President Donald Trump's voter ID and election overhaul legislation, marking the latest instance this week in which GOP lawmakers have broken with a major White House-backed initiative.

Sens. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Mitch McConnell and Thom Tillis voted with Democrats to prevent the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act from being attached to a nearly $70 billion immigration enforcement funding package.

The vote represented the second failed attempt this year to move the legislation through the Senate after House Republicans passed a version of the bill in February. The amendment, introduced by Senator Lindsey Graham, required 60 votes to advance and fell short amid unanimous Democratic opposition and resistance from several Republicans, as Fox News reports.

The legislation would have required proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, to register to vote nationwide. It also included voter ID requirements and provisions expanding federal oversight of voter rolls.

Trump has repeatedly described the bill as one of his top legislative priorities ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. In March, he said the measure "supersedes everything else" and argued it was necessary to protect election integrity following his continued claims about the 2020 election.

Supporters of the legislation argued the proposal was intended to prevent noncitizens from voting. "There's no other reason to say you don't have to have an ID. It just makes cheating easier," Graham said during Senate debate.

Democrats countered that noncitizen voting is already illegal and argued the bill would create barriers for eligible voters while expanding federal authority over elections. Sen. Alex Padilla said the proposal mirrored earlier efforts "to try to take over elections."

Several Republicans who opposed the measure have previously raised constitutional and practical concerns. Murkowski has argued the bill would federalize elections, while McConnell warned last year that it could open the door to broader federal control over voting systems.

Collins previously said requiring passports or birth certificates on election day could create "an unnecessary burden on voters."

The Senate vote followed two other breaks with Trump-backed initiatives earlier this week. On Wednesday, four House Republicans joined Democrats to pass a war powers resolution seeking to limit further U.S. military action against Iran. A day later, Republican lawmakers also helped pass a House measure providing additional aid to Ukraine despite opposition from party leadership and criticism from Trump allies.