President Donald Trump said Wednesday that failing to pass the SAVE America Act could make him the last Republican president in U.S. history, warning that a Democratic push to grant statehood to Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., would tilt the electoral map permanently against the GOP.
In an appearance on Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s “Lt. Dan Podcast,” Trump argued that if Republicans do not secure the measure’s passage, they would be inviting a structural disadvantage that could end the party’s chances at winning the White House.
A Warning About New States and Senate Seats
Trump began by pointing to Democrats’ long-held goals of making Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia states. If successful, that would add four new senators and as many as a handful of House members — likely all Democrats, given the voting patterns in both jurisdictions.
“And you’ll never have a Republican president again,” Trump said, according to audio of the interview.
He contrasted that scenario with the potential impact of the SAVE America Act, a bill that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and would sharply limit mail-in balloting to those who qualify due to illness, disability, travel, or military service.
“On the other hand, if we pass SAVE America, and we have voter identification with photo and if we have, as an example, a simple thing like place of birth — you know it would be nice to have — where were you born? Were you born in the United States of America?” Trump said.
Trump: Republicans Must Act Now
The president contended that if voting were restricted to U.S.-born citizens and required photo ID, Republican candidates would fare far better in elections. He suggested that in Puerto Rico and D.C., the GOP’s share of the vote is minuscule — roughly 3% in each — so adding them as states would only empower what he called “radical left ideology.”
“It’s radical left ideology, and you’ll have four more senators, and you’ll have eight to ten more Congresspeople, and you’ll never ever have an election. … I’ll be the last — think of it, I will be the last Republican president if that happens,” Trump warned.
Patrick, who was presiding over the interview, quickly interjected: “And that’s not hyperbole.”
Trump then added, “And it would be an unforced error because you can stop it.”
Stakes Over Voter Rules
The SAVE America Act has emerged as a key legislative priority for Trump and many conservative lawmakers. Supporters argue that requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration is necessary to prevent noncitizens from participating in federal elections. The bill’s mail-in ballot restrictions would apply only to those who cite specific reasons such as illness, disability, travel, or military service.
Critics of the legislation have contended that such measures suppress voter turnout and are unnecessary, pointing to existing safeguards. But Trump’s comments frame the issue more broadly: if the act does not become law, he says, Republicans risk ceding the electoral college to Democrats for a generation.
The president’s remarks come as Congress has yet to vote on the SAVE America Act. Republicans hold slim majorities in both chambers, but the bill would need to clear a potential filibuster in the Senate and avoid a likely veto if Democrats gain control after the next election cycle.
Trump’s warning highlights the fierce political calculations around both election law changes and the future make-up of the Senate and House districts. Statehood proposals for Puerto Rico and D.C. have been part of Democratic platforms for years, but have never advanced far in Congress due to Republican opposition.
For now, Trump’s admission — that his own presidency could be the party’s last unless the SAVE Act passes — adds a sense of urgency to GOP legislative efforts. Whether the bill can muster the necessary votes remains an open question.
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-reveals-what-could-make-him-the-last-republican-president