Trump Undecided on Housing Bill

President Donald Trump has cast doubt on whether he will sign the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, calling it 'a big yawn' as he presses Congress to prioritize voting requirements. Speaking in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump said he had yet to decide whether to sign the bill, which aims to boost housing supply through faster environmental reviews, new grants, and looser rules for prefabricated housing.

The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress. According to PBS News, Trump has announced that Republicans will hold their first-ever national convention ahead of the midterm elections on September 9th and 10th in Dallas. This event aims to boost turnout for races that could decide whether the party maintains control of Congress.

Trump last week abruptly canceled a signing ceremony for the housing bill to pressure Republicans into passing the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and create a national voter database using state registration records. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, said on Sunday that he would transmit the bill to the White House on Monday. From then, Trump has 10 days, excluding Sundays, to sign the bill or send it back to Congress. After that point, without his signature, it will become law.

The Consumer Price Index jumped to 4.2% in May, its highest mark since April 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Trump returned to office after four years in January 2025. Some of the president's recent comments about inflation risk making the election landscape more difficult for Republicans.

Trump has repeatedly called affordability 'a hoax' and said he doesn't think about Americans' financial situation when making decisions about the Iran war. His latest remarks also highlight a divide between the White House and Senate Republican Leader John Thune of South Dakota, who has declined to scrap the 60-vote filibuster threshold that most pieces of legislation must surpass to advance in the Senate.

President Trump stated on Wednesday that his acting spy chief, Bill Pulte, can declassify records, including those related to the 2020 election. Pulte is currently serving as the acting director of national intelligence and will remain until Jay Clayton's nomination is approved by the Senate. This appointment comes amid global tensions and a political backlash over Trump's pick for the role.