Trump derails spy bill as Senate Republicans reject voter ID push

Not all Republicans are critical. Senator Rick Scott defended Trump’s push for voter ID, saying Americans across the political spectrum want election security and stronger privacy protections.

President Donald Trump has once again thrown Capitol Hill into turmoil, this time by derailing a Senate plan to pass a key national security bill, deepening tensions with his own party just months before the midterm elections.

The clash centers on Trump’s insistence that his voter ID package, the SAVE America Act, be attached to legislation extending Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Senate Republicans balked, refusing to scrap the filibuster to push through sweeping voting restrictions opposed by Democrats. “I think the president wants to add SAVE America to pretty much everything,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said, warning that such demands would block progress on the surveillance bill.

Trump’s maneuver also protected his controversial choice of Bill Pulte as acting intelligence chief, forcing the Senate Intelligence Committee to postpone a confirmation hearing for Jay Clayton, his permanent nominee. Pulte’s lack of national security experience has sparked outrage among Democrats and unease among Republicans, who fear he could weaponize intelligence against Trump’s political enemies.

The episode follows a string of Trump actions that have upended GOP legislative plans, including his $1.8 billion “anti‑weaponization” fund, demands for $1 billion tied to his White House ballroom, and calls to end the Senate filibuster and fire the parliamentarian. Senator Thom Tillis called Trump’s latest move “a colossal mistake,” saying it undermines the very results the president claims to want.

Not all Republicans are critical. Senator Rick Scott defended Trump’s push for voter ID, saying Americans across the political spectrum want election security and stronger privacy protections. But others, like Senator John Cornyn—recently ousted in a primary by Trump‑backed Ken Paxton—say the president has destroyed trust within the party. “That changed the playing field in a way where you’ll see a lot more transactional relationships, as opposed to ones based on trust,” Cornyn said.

Trump’s approval ratings have slipped to 36 percent, according to Reuters/Ipsos, down from 47 percent at the start of his second term. Among Republicans, support has also eroded. Analysts argue his disregard for congressional process is now colliding with GOP leaders facing competitive midterm races and voter frustration over rising costs tied to his foreign policy and trade initiatives.

Despite the turmoil, Trump remains defiant. His demands have forced Republicans to choose between loyalty to the president and maintaining Senate norms. Thune, who has resisted Trump’s calls to scrap the filibuster, said simply: “The president has his own mind and makes his own decisions.”