The Senate adjourned early Saturday without passing President Trump’s SAVE America Act, after Republican holdouts conferred with the president and agreed to revisit parts of the bill by attaching them to a broader GOP budget package in September. During an almost 20-hour session, the chamber confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general, approved a Russian sanctions package to aid Ukraine, and passed a short-term funding bill to keep the government open into December. A narrower voter ID proposal failed to advance, largely along party lines. Senate Majority Leader John Thune sought to balance presidential pressure with the realities of a slim GOP majority and an absent Sen. Mitch McConnell.
Senate Adjourns After Standoff Over Trump’s SAVE America Act; Voting Measures Deferred to September
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., talks with reporters outside of the Senate chamber during a vote at the U.S. Capitol, Friday, August 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)(AP Photo/Rod Lamkey)
WASHINGTON — In the early hours of Saturday, the Senate broke off for its summer recess after a tense, hours-long standoff over President Donald Trump’s push to pass the SAVE America Act, a strict voting bill that would require proof-of-citizenship measures. Lawmakers advanced a number of other priorities overnight but did not approve the president’s signature voting proposal.
What Happened
Republican holdouts who had stalled the chamber spoke with Mr. Trump late Friday and described an alternate course: instead of forcing the bill through now, they will try to incorporate parts of the SAVE America Act into a larger GOP budget package when Congress reconvenes in September. That package is intended to fund operations related to the Iran situation and to replenish Pentagon accounts.
President Donald Trump boards Air Force One, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)(AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Sen. Ron Johnson, chairman of the Senate GOP Budget Committee, said after the call that the group was acting at the president’s direction. Senators Mike Lee and Rick Scott joined Johnson in briefing reporters after the discussion.
“John's trying. He's trying hard. I really believe that. But if he doesn't get there, it would be unfortunate,”
— President Donald Trump, in a Punchbowl News interview posted Friday.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, walks through the Senate subway at the U.S. Capitol during a vote, Friday, August 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)(AP Photo/Rod Lamkey)
Items Passed—and Items Deferred
Over a marathon session that approached 20 hours, Majority Leader John Thune shepherded several other measures to passage: senators confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general, approved a broad Russian sanctions package intended to aid Ukraine, and passed a bipartisan stopgap funding bill to keep the government operating into December.
Republicans also tried to advance a narrower voter ID bill requiring photo identification for federal ballots, but it failed to advance, largely on party lines with Democrats opposed.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., departs the U.S. Capitol prior to a confirmation vote for acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)(AP Photo/Rod Lamkey)
Why the Standoff Ended
The failure to clear the SAVE America Act reflected political reality: the proposal lacks the votes even within the GOP majority and is far short of the 60 votes generally required to advance legislation in the Senate. Thune sought to balance the president’s demands with the constraints of a slim Republican margin and the ongoing absence of Sen. Mitch McConnell, who is recovering at home after release from a rehabilitation center.
Thune convened a dinner meeting of Senate Republicans as tensions rose and encouraged the trio of holdouts to speak with the president directly. After those discussions, the group agreed to pursue elements of the voting bill as part of a broader legislative vehicle in September rather than block adjournment for the summer.
Sen. Thomas Tillis, R-N.C., walks through the U.S. Capitol during a recess, Friday, August 7, 2026 in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)(AP Photo/Rod Lamkey)
As dawn approached, a voice vote to adjourn carried, despite vocal objections from Lee and others.
What Comes Next
Lawmakers plan to return in September and attempt to attach voting provisions to a larger budget bill — an approach that may change the political dynamics but will still face procedural hurdles in the Senate. For now, the SAVE America Act remains unresolved, while other items the chamber approved move forward.
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