What Trump said after touting 'great reviews' for his election speech
Trump: "Great reviews on speech last night. Big audience. Pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT!!! Thank you! President DONALD J. TRUMP" pic.twitter.com/butKREqrT4
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 17, 2026
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump claimed his primetime election security address received "great reviews" before renewing his push for Congress to pass the SAVE America Act.
His post came just hours after multiple broadcasters and news organizations challenged key claims from the speech. Democrats also accused him of reviving false election narratives while pressuring Congress over voting legislation.
Trump renews SAVE America Act push
Taking to Truth Social on Friday morning, July 17, Trump celebrated the reception of his nationally televised address and tied it directly to his legislative agenda.
MAJOR BREAKING: President Trump says 220 million U.S. voter files were stolen by the People’s Republic of China and says the intelligence was deliberately covered up by deep state actors within the U.S. government. pic.twitter.com/nUGGnVoNeJ
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) July 17, 2026
"Great reviews on speech last night. Big audience. Pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT!!! Thank you! President DONALD J TRUMP," he wrote.
Trump did not identify which "reviews" he was referring to.
His post followed Thursday night's address, during which he alleged that China had attempted to influence the 2020 election and again promoted the stalled SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote as part of his broader push for stricter election laws.
GOP allies back Trump against foreign election interference
Several prominent Republicans quickly rallied behind Trump's message.
Sen Mike Lee, R-Utah, argued that "American elections should not be less secure than Olive Garden's endless pasta," adding that it was "more important than ever to crush foreign election interference" while urging Congress to approve the legislation.
Rep Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla, also echoed Trump's broader message by calling for Chinese student visas to be revoked.
Democrats and broadcasters push back on 2020 election claims
Trump's speech also drew immediate scrutiny from news organizations after he repeated claims about the 2020 election and foreign interference.
CBS carried roughly the first 15 minutes of the address before cutting away to fact-check several of the president's assertions. ABC and NBC declined to air the speech live on their primary broadcast networks.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe defended Trump's allegations, saying he had "long publicly highlighted China's nefarious efforts to influence the 2020 election against President Trump, as evidenced by my dissent to the flawed January 2021 Intelligence Community Assessment."
Democratic lawmakers, according to Mediaite, responded with broad criticism, accusing Trump of reviving false claims about the 2020 election and using the presidency to increase pressure on Congress over voting legislation ahead of the midterm elections.
The competing reactions underscored the divide that emerged almost immediately after Trump's address, the outlet reported, with Republican allies amplifying his election security message while major broadcasters challenged several of his claims and Democrats condemned the speech's central assertions.
