Trump tells Republicans to hold firm amid ongoing DHS shutdown
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump on Monday said he is urging congressional Republicans not to reach any agreement with Democrats to end the Department of Homeland Security shutdown unless the deal also includes passage of the SAVE America Act, an election bill centered on voter identification requirements.
Speaking at a roundtable event in Memphis alongside Attorney General Pam Bondi and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Trump accused Democrats of prolonging the shutdown and linked the standoff to broader disputes over immigration and election rules.
“I’m again demanding the Democrats in Congress immediately end their disgraceful shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security and restore the full funding for airport security and the TSA,” Trump said. “They are holding it up because they want to take care of illegal immigrants coming into our country.”
He then made clear he wants Republicans to take a hardline approach in negotiations, saying the party should refuse to make concessions unless Democrats agree to include the election measure.
“As part of homeland security, and I’m suggesting strongly to the Republican Party, don’t make any deal on anything,” Trump said. “The most important thing we can have is what’s called the SAVE America Act. Don’t make any deal on anything, unless you include voter ID.”
Shutdown fight linked to election overhaul
Trump’s remarks effectively tied the fate of DHS funding to a broader Republican push for changes to election law.
The 'SAVE America Act', which he highlighted as a top priority, includes voter ID requirements and has become a central demand for Trump and his allies.
By insisting that any deal to reopen the department must include the bill, Trump raised the stakes in an already tense shutdown battle and signaled little appetite for a narrow compromise focused only on restoring agency operations.
The shutdown has put pressure on Homeland Security functions, including airport security and the Transportation Security Administration, both of which Trump referenced in arguing that Democrats should move quickly to restore funding.
Renewed pressure on Senate rules
Trump also repeated his call for Republicans to eliminate the Senate filibuster, which requires 60 votes to advance most legislation and has long been a barrier to passing major partisan bills without cross-party support.
The president argued that scrapping the rule would allow Republicans to move their agenda forward more easily, including legislation related to elections and homeland security.
His comments are likely to sharpen divisions not only between Republicans and Democrats, but also within the GOP, where some senators remain opposed to changing filibuster rules despite pressure from Trump and his allies.
Trump’s directive to Republicans not to cut a deal without securing voter ID legislation could further complicate efforts to break the impasse in Congress.
Rather than separating the urgent matter of reopening DHS from the broader fight over election law, the president’s comments suggested he sees the shutdown as leverage to force action on one of his key political priorities.
