'Incredibly smart': Trump reposts unexpected praise for Elizabeth Warren

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump's latest push for the SAVE America Act took an unexpected turn after he reposted a message praising Senator Elizabeth Warren as "incredibly smart."

The early Sunday Truth Social activity quickly stood out because the post Trump amplified centered on one of the legislation's fiercest critics. Instead of reinforcing the partisan divide, it highlighted an unusual moment that overshadowed the familiar debate surrounding the bill.

Mike Lee's defense carries unexpected compliment

Trump's surprising repost came during a flurry of more than a dozen Truth Social posts shortly after 5.20 am, Sunday, July 26, including several amplifying commentary from Sen Mike Lee of Utah defending the SAVE America Act.

One repost featured a video of Warren criticizing the proposal. In the clip, the Massachusetts Democrat argued the legislation was unnecessary because existing federal law already bars noncitizens from voting.

"It's already illegal for someone who is not an American noncitizen to vote," Warren said. "I don't understand why you want laws that are already there."

She was referring to the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, which prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections.

Alongside that video, Lee offered an unexpected assessment of the Democratic senator, writing, "Elizabeth Warren is incredibly smart."

By reposting the message, Trump amplified both Lee's defense of the legislation and his unusually complimentary description of Warren.

SAVE America Act faces familiar criticism

The Warren clip reflected one of the most common criticisms aimed at the SAVE America Act: that existing law already makes noncitizen voting in federal elections illegal.

The legislation has also drawn criticism from the National Women's Law Center, which argued the proposal could affect eligible American voters.

"This bill could disenfranchise 21.3 million eligible voters who don't have the required documents ready, and it would particularly impact married women and trans people, all in order to fix a problem that doesn't exist," the group's explainer states.

"It’s voter suppression that perpetuates anti-immigrant misinformation."

Lee sought to counter that argument by maintaining that the current law is "impossible to enforce," making the new legislation necessary despite existing legal prohibitions.

Senate Republicans question bill's path

Trump's renewed campaign for the SAVE America Act also comes as some Senate Republicans continue expressing doubts about its prospects.

Sen John Cornyn of Texas dismissed the idea that pressure from Trump alone could secure enough support to move the bill forward.

"This idea that he can just command members of the Republican conference to get in line is just a fantasy," Cornyn said earlier this week.

"I don't know who it was that sold the president on this idea, that this was obtainable, but it's creating a circular firing squad for Republicans," he added.

Against that backdrop, Trump's decision to amplify Lee's defense unexpectedly put the spotlight not only on the SAVE America Act but also on the striking line calling one of its most vocal Democratic critics "incredibly smart."