Trump’s Urgent Warning — GOP Ignoring Disaster

Conservative activist Scott Presler confronted Senate Republicans for stalling the SAVE America Act, warning that continued delays threaten to repeat the GOP’s catastrophic 2018 midterm losses despite controlling all levers of power.

Story Snapshot

Presler protested outside Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s office demanding immediate action on citizenship verification for voter registration
The SAVE Act passed the House 218-213 but remains stalled in the Senate despite 50 GOP votes due to the 60-vote filibuster threshold
President Trump publicly urged eliminating the filibuster, calling the legislation essential for midterm re-election success
Democrats uniformly oppose the bill as voter suppression while 83% of Americans support voter ID requirements according to polling data

Presler Confronts Senate Republicans Over Election Integrity Delays

Scott Presler, a Turning Point USA speaker and founder of Early Vote Action, delivered a blistering rebuke of Senate Republicans on February 19, 2026, demanding immediate passage of the SAVE America Act. Presler traveled to Washington, D.C., on February 18 to protest outside Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s office, warning that GOP complacency could squander the party’s control of the House, Senate, and White House. He invoked the 2018 midterms when Republicans lost the House despite holding a trifecta, enabling the election of progressive “Squad” members and Trump’s subsequent impeachment. Presler framed the current moment as a critical opportunity handed to Republicans on a “golden platter.”

SAVE Act Mandates Citizenship Proof Amid Documented Fraud Cases

The SAVE America Act requires proof of U.S. citizenship for federal voter registration and mandates states cross-check voter rolls against citizenship databases. Representative Chip Roy, the bill’s lead House sponsor, cited demonstrative cases of non-citizen voting and vulnerabilities like Minnesota’s vouching system, where one voter can verify up to eight others without identification. This loophole became notorious during Al Franken’s 2008 Senate victory by just 312 votes. The legislation includes exemptions for religious groups like the Amish and accommodations for name-change affidavits, addressing practical concerns while closing fraud pathways that undermine election confidence.

Senate GOP Reaches 50 Votes But Faces Filibuster Roadblock

The House passed the SAVE Act 218-213 along party lines with unanimous Democratic opposition. Senate Republicans secured 50 votes supporting the measure through White House and grassroots pressure, but the legislation remains blocked by the 60-vote filibuster requirement. Senate Majority Leader Thune backs the effort while facing internal resistance from Senators Lisa Murkowski, Mitch McConnell, and Thom Tillis who defend institutional filibuster protections. Senator Mike Lee pushed for a floor vote following the State of the Union, but Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pledged Democrats would fight “tooth and nail” against passage, labeling the bill “Jim Crow 2.0.”

President Trump amplified pressure on Senate Republicans by posting on Truth Social that passing election integrity reforms is essential for midterm re-election prospects. Trump has publicly urged filibuster elimination to advance key priorities, viewing the SAVE Act as a critical safeguard for maintaining Republican power. Representative Roy joined Presler on a Republican Study Committee podcast demanding the Senate “do its job” and stop hiding behind procedural obstacles. The duo emphasized that proven fraud cases exist and that restoring election trust requires immediate legislative action, not continued delays that embolden Democratic obstruction tactics.

Widespread Public Support Contrasts With Democratic Resistance

Polling data cited by SAVE Act advocates shows 83% of Americans support voter identification requirements, including 76% of Black Americans and 82% of Latino Americans. These figures undermine Democratic claims that citizenship verification constitutes voter suppression targeting minority communities. The Republican trifecta represents a rare alignment of political power not seen since 2016-2018 under Paul Ryan’s House leadership, which similarly failed to enact election reforms before losing control in the 2018 midterms. Presler and conservative allies argue that repeating this pattern of inaction will devastate Republican prospects in the 2026 midterms and beyond.

TPUSA Speaker Scott Presler Blasts Senate GOP: ‘Where’s the SAVE Act?’
https://t.co/hLq4naypnM

— Townhall Updates (@TownhallUpdates) February 19, 2026

The legislation’s potential long-term impact includes mandating nationwide citizenship proof requirements that could reshape election administration across all 50 states. States would gain enhanced tools for maintaining accurate voter rolls by accessing federal citizenship databases, addressing concerns about non-citizen participation that have eroded public confidence in electoral outcomes. Democrats face losing filibuster leverage if Republicans pursue procedural reforms to bypass the 60-vote threshold. For conservative voters frustrated by previous GOP failures to capitalize on unified government control, the SAVE Act represents a defining test of whether Senate Republicans will deliver on core election integrity promises or repeat historical patterns of squandering political opportunities through institutional timidity.