The SAVE America Act is Finally Getting Its Moment

Good morning. For Republicans, there are two trains of thought about the SAVE America Act, which would change voting and election law.

President Trump's school of thought: It is the single most important piece of legislation and Congress shouldn't do anything else until this measure is passed.

The school of thought held by many others: It will never become law, and so it should just be cast aside before it's too late.

These two runaway trains are headed for each other Wednesday as Trump meets with Senate Republicans about their legislative agenda, with the shadow of the midterm elections looming just four months away.

One problem: Trump has burned some bridges with this group of senators, and so more than a handful feel like they don't owe him any favors.

For Trump, however, he's done a good job (with some notable exceptions) of keeping GOP lawmakers in line. If he wavers, or shows weakness, it could be political chaos.

Much hangs in the balance, and the legislative agenda has completely stalled out over this standoff.

Congress can't renew a spying law. It can't confirm a new spy chief. It can't even pass a bill to buy more weapons and munitions until this is sorted out.

Can they sort it out Wednesday? Maybe. But political winds are shifting. The closer we get to the midterms, the more lawmakers worry about payback and political preservation. Playing nice can take a back seat.

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People and Policies I'm Watching

Congress: A Senate Finance Committee subcommittee is to hold a hearing on the future of Social Security at 3 p.m. ET.

Trump's Wednesday: The president is to sign the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act at 12 p.m. and the have lunch with the Senate Republican steering committee at 1 p.m., both events at the Capitol. He is to meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office at 3:30 p.m., to participate in a policy meeting at 5 p.m. and to deliver remarks at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall at 8:30 p.m.

What I'm Following

Three Zohran Mamdani-backed candidates won Democratic primaries in New York. The victories of Democratic Socialists Brad Lander, Darializa Avila Chevalier and State Assemblywoman Claire Valdez, who defeated candidates endorsed by establishment leaders, showed the mayor's expanding influence in the Democratic Party. New York Assemblyman Micah Lasher won the primary to succeed retiring Rep. Jerrold Nadler in one of New York's wealthiest districts.

Trump's social-media posts are complicating negotiations with Iran. During the delicate and combustible talks between U.S. and Iranian officials in Switzerland last weekend, Trump tossed in an unexpected grenade -- a social-media post threatening to attack Iran if it didn't stop funding its allied Lebanese militia Hezbollah. When chief Iranian negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf learned of the post, he launched a tirade against Vice President JD Vance and threatened to abandon talks. Meanwhile, the Senate voted to limit Trump's ability to wage war against Iran without congressional authorization after four Republicans joined with Democrats.

A landmark housing bill passed Congress, but home builders fear it will fizzle. It was Congress's most-ambitious housing legislation since the 1980s, streamlining some federal approvals and making housing more affordable. But, as Congress lacks authority, it doesn't address the local zoning regulations and building codes that actually determine what gets built in America and that have bogged down new-housing development for decades.

What Else Is Happening

   -- How a $45 million donation brought Larry Ellison deeper into Trump's 
      circle. 
 
   -- The Justice Department accused 450 defendants over more than $6.5 billion 
      of healthcare fraud. 
 
   -- The administration will let utility companies tap billions of dollars in 
      cheap public-sector loans to boost nuclear power. 
 
   -- The Supreme Court ruled that a Rastafarian man can't seek monetary 
      damages from state prison guards for shaving his head. 

What I'm Reading

   -- District Court Rules DOJ Can Release Biden Interview Tapes (The 
      Federalist) 
 
   -- Despite Earlier Pledge, Missouri's Top Election Official Sent Voter 
      Information to Feds (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) 
 
   -- Judge Says Iowa Can't Ban SNAP From Being Used to Buy Pop or Candy (Des 
      Moines Register) 

About Me

I'm Damian Paletta, The Wall Street Journal's Washington coverage chief. I've covered Washington for 22 years as a reporter and editor. I've covered the White House, Congress, national security, the federal budget, economics and multiple market meltdowns.

WSJ Politics brings you an expert guide to what's driving D.C., every weekday morning. Send your feedback to politics@wsj.com (if you're reading this in your inbox, you can just hit reply). This edition was curated and edited in collaboration with Alistair Dawber and Michael Connolly. Got a tip for us? Here's how to submit.

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June 24, 2026 07:06 ET (11:06 GMT)

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