Trump urges Senate to cancel August recess for voting bill

President Donald Trump demanded on Monday that Senate Majority Leader John Thune cancel the Senate’s upcoming August recess until lawmakers pass a strict proof-of-citizenship voting bill, escalating a months-long pressure campaign that has exposed deep divisions within the Republican Party. In a series of social media posts, Trump urged Thune to either keep senators in Washington to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act or, as he preferred, eliminate the legislative filibuster to allow Republicans to pass the bill with a simple majority.

The Senate is scheduled to begin its summer break on August 7, but Trump argued that leaving town without action would be a major missed opportunity. He warned that if Democrats win control of the Senate in the November midterm elections, they would eliminate the filibuster themselves and enact their own agenda. "Whichever Party Terminates the Filibuster FIRST will be the Party that survives and thrives," Trump wrote.

The SAVE Act, which passed the House earlier this year, would require Americans to show proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, to register to vote and mandate photo identification at...