Trump refuses to sign bipartisan housing bill, allowing it to become law automatically in protest over election security legislation

President Donald Trump announced Friday that he will not sign a housing bill passed by Congress in June with broad bipartisan support, setting the stage for the legislation to become law automatically at 12:01 a.m. ET Saturday.

Trump withheld his signature in protest over the Senate's failure to pass the controversial election security legislation known as the SAVE America Act. He did not issue a veto, and under the Constitution, if the president does not veto a bill within 10 days of receiving it (excluding Sundays), the bill "shall be a Law" as if it had been signed.

The White House, when asked whether Trump would veto the bill, referred CNBC to the president's Truth Social post stating he would not sign it.

Key Details of the Housing Bill

The legislation, formally known as the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, aims to:

• Lower costs for homebuyers
• Rein in institutional investors

It passed with overwhelming margins:

• House of Representatives: 358–32
• Senate: 85–5

These margins exceed the two-thirds supermajority required to override a presidential veto.

Trump's Statement

In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote:

"I will not sign the Housing Bill, which has been fully approved by Congress and sent to the White House, in PROTEST over the fact that the United States Senate is not capable of passing THE SAVE AMERICA ACT."

He added:

"THE SAVE AMERICA ACT'S non-passage is CRAZY, and a serious threat to any politician who votes against it!"

Trump also claimed the bill has broad support from Americans, despite polls indicating otherwise.

Economic Context

Trump's announcement came one day after the National Association of Realtors reported that home prices in June rose to the highest level on record. The median price of an existing home sold in June was $440,600, an increase of 1.8% from the previous year.

Democratic Response

Democrats quickly criticized Trump's decision, framing it as indifference to Americans' cost-of-living concerns.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) wrote on X:

"Millions of Americans are being crushed by housing costs. Donald Trump called their crisis 'a big yawn' — then refused to sign the most significant bipartisan housing bill in decades. His priorities couldn't be clearer: higher costs for families and more power for himself."

Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) posted on X:

"The rising cost of mortgages and rent are hitting Americans hard. Yet Trump refuses to act."

Political Implications

Trump has urged fellow Republicans in Congress to prioritize the SAVE America Act ahead of November's midterm elections. Democrats, who have centered their messaging on affordability, hope to retake control of both chambers of Congress.

Trump has previously suggested he would refuse to sign other bills until the SAVE America Act is passed. In June, he abruptly canceled a scheduled signing ceremony for the housing bill, citing the same demand.

The SAVE America Act is aimed at reducing the chance of noncitizens voting in U.S. elections.