Schumer calls Trump-backed SAVE Act ‘despicable,’ accuses him of trying to ‘cheat’ in midterms
WASHINGTON, DC: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is stepping up his attacks on President Donald Trump and a controversial election bill. He calls the proposed SAVE America Act 'despicable' and says it is meant to sway the upcoming midterm elections.
The fight over voting laws has escalated, and both parties are preparing for a major confrontation before the 2026 elections.
Schumer slams Trump’s SAVE Act idea
Schumer accused President Trump and his Senate allies of trying to “disenfranchise millions of Americans and undermine democracy by pushing this despicable SAVE Act” to counter the Republican Party’s political challenges driven by a weakening economy and rising costs.
I will lead Senate Democrats in blocking the SAVE Act this week no matter what it takes.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 16, 2026
Why? The SAVE Act:
1. Prevents millions of American citizens from voting by requiring birth certificate or passport to vote
2. Decimates vote-by-mail
3. Forces Americans to register to…
On a Sunday press call, Schumer accused Trump of pushing the legislation not to improve election integrity, but to gain a political advantage.
He also called the election integrity bill “one of the most despicable pieces of legislation I’ve come across in the many years I’ve been a legislator.”
“Nothing is more important than defeating this dagger to the heart of our democracy,” the Democratic leader told reporters.
Schumer and other Democrats have described the proposal as a threat to voting rights, warning it could disenfranchise millions of Americans who may struggle to provide documentation.
Schumer continued his rant to reporters, saying, “Donald Trump believes he’s going to lose the election. He knows his numbers are in the gutter.”
“And so what does he want to do? Well, he wants to cheat. He wants to steal the election like he did in 2021 in a different way,” he claimed.
A looming battle for Senate
He added that Senate Democrats do not know exactly what Thune will bring to the floor in the coming days, but they are ready to counter it.
“We don’t yet know what Thune is doing, what he will do exactly, but we’re prepared for every possible scenario. My caucus really feels strongly that this would be a horror, you know, one of the worst things that’s happened in the history of this country in terms of allowing people to vote,” he said.
Trump has dismissed criticism from Democrats, stating that most people support voter ID laws and that such laws are necessary to ensure fair elections.
He has also said he might not support other legislation until the SAVE Act is passed, making the standoff even more serious.
Republican allies have supported him, saying the bill is a straightforward way to protect against possible abuses in the electoral system.
