Mike Lee nukes 'paranoid' Meryl Streep's SAVE Act warnings as 'fantasy': 'Not a scintilla of truth'

'She delivered those lines flawlessly as she does in all of her movies. But the lines aren't true. The lines are a paranoid fantasy!' Mike Lee said
Senator Mike Lee dismissed Meryl Streep's 'SAVE Act' claims as a 'paranoid fantasy', saying they lacked any truth (Getty Images)
Senator Mike Lee dismissed Meryl Streep's 'SAVE Act' claims as a 'paranoid fantasy', saying they lacked any truth (Getty Images)

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Sen Mike Lee forcefully pushed back against comments made by actress Meryl Streep on the 'SAVE America Act', dismissing her claims as completely detached from reality as he spoke to Fox News.

In a sharp response, Lee, on Saturday, April 4, said the narrative being circulated about the bill, particularly its alleged impact on married women, was not just misleading but entirely fabricated, even as he acknowledged Streep’s stature as a performer.



Mike Lee tears into Meryl Streep's 'fictional' claims

Lee did not hold back as he addressed Streep’s remarks, opening with a biting comparison: “Look, that is as FICTIONAL as every single movie she’s ever starred in!”

He quickly softened the tone on a personal level, adding, “She is a phenomenal actor, and I have immense respect for her.”

But the senator returned to his central argument, insisting that while the delivery may have been compelling, the substance was not.

“She delivered those lines flawlessly as she does in all of her movies. But the lines aren’t true. The lines are a paranoid fantasy!” he added.

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 12:  U.S. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) speaks during Supreme Court Justice nominee
Sen Mike Lee (R-UT) speaks during Supreme Court Justice nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett's Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for Supreme Court Justice in the Hart Senate Office Building on October 12, 2020, in Washington, DC (Erin Schaff-Pool/Getty Images)

Lee went on to question how such claims gained traction in the first place.

“She’s mistaken there. I don’t know who has told her this. I don’t know whether she was put up to it,” he said, before flatly rejecting the premise behind her concerns.

“There’s not a scintilla of truth to them,” Lee continued, arguing that the legislation is designed with the opposite intent.

“Look, the fact is that we make it really easy to vote and hard to cheat under the SAVE America Act. It couldn’t be easier to vote under the SAVE America Act,” he said.



He also broadened his criticism to the wider opposition surrounding the bill, saying, “That’s why every argument Democrats make against the Save America Act is contrived. You peel it back. It cannot withstand review against the backdrop of what the bill actually says.”

Meryl Streep speaks against 'SAVE America Act'

The clash stems from comments Streep made during an appearance on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert', where she raised concerns about how the legislation could affect women who have changed their names after marriage.

“The Save America Act, if that passes, all the married women who have changed their names are going to have to go to the registrar and prove that they are who they are,” Streep said, explaining her understanding of the bill.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 01: Meryl Streep seen at 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' in Midtown in Midtown on April 01, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Aeon/GC Images)
Meryl Streep seen at 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' in Midtown on April 01, 2026, in New York City (Aeon/GC Images)

She elaborated further, warning of potential complications at the ballot box, adding, “Otherwise, when you get to the voting booth in November, you might be disqualified because your name doesn’t match your name on the voting rolls.”

Framing it as both an inconvenience and a risk, she added, “This is such a pain in the neck but do it. Because otherwise, you’ll be turned away,” before concluding with a broader appeal, saying, “I think that women need to be heard, especially at this moment.”

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