WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is throwing cold water on a bipartisan housing affordability bill, suggesting the legislation is far less important to him than a separate push to tighten voting requirements across the country.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Monday, Trump said he had not yet made up his mind about signing the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act — a measure designed to increase the housing supply by speeding up environmental reviews, offering new grants, and relaxing regulations on prefabricated homes. While he stopped short of threatening a veto, his tone was far from enthusiastic.
“I think it’s so unimportant compared to the Save America Act,” Trump said of the housing bill. “To me, compared to the Save America Act, just about everything is a big yawn.”
The president abruptly called off a signing ceremony for the housing bill last week, using it as leverage to push Republicans in Congress to first pass the SAVE America Act. That bill would mandate proof of citizenship to register to vote and establish a national voter database built from state registration records. Trump has repeatedly and falsely claimed that widespread fraud has occurred in U.S. elections.
The situation puts the White House in a difficult position, balancing its election reform ambitions against growing public concern over the cost of living — both central issues for Trump and the Republican Party heading into the November midterm elections.
Trump’s ability to connect with voters on affordability was already under strain before a four-month-old war with Iran began. Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz — a critical shipping lane for energy — has driven up fuel and industrial costs.
Adding to the challenge, the Consumer Price Index climbed to 4.2% in May, its highest level since April 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Trump returned to the White House in January 2025 after four years out of office.
Some of the president’s recent statements on the economy have raised eyebrows and could complicate things for Republicans in the upcoming elections. Trump has called affordability concerns “a hoax,” stated “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation” when discussing decisions tied to the Iran conflict, and said “I love the inflation” when pressed about rising prices.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, announced Sunday that he would send the housing bill to the White House on Monday. Once received, Trump has 10 days — not counting Sundays — to either sign the bill or return it to Congress. If he takes no action after that window closes, the bill becomes law without his signature.
Trump’s comments also reveal a rift with Senate Republican Leader John Thune of South Dakota. For months, Trump has urged Thune to eliminate the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold or remove the chamber’s parliamentarian — moves that would make it easier to pass legislation with a simple majority. Thune has refused both requests, and neither option has garnered broad support among Senate Republicans, who currently hold the majority in that chamber.
