President Donald Trump will sign an executive order requiring voter identification for the 2026 midterm elections if Congress does not act on the matter.
Trump announced the move Friday on Truth Social, vowing to implement nationwide voter ID requirements regardless of legislative outcomes. “If we can’t get it through Congress, there are Legal reasons why this SCAM is not permitted. I will be presenting them shortly, in the form of an Executive Order,” Trump wrote. He added in a separate post: “There will be Voter I.D. for the Midterm Elections, whether approved by Congress or not!”
The announcement follows the House’s narrow approval of the SAVE America Act on Wednesday, NBC News reported. Lawmakers passed the bill 218-213, with every Republican voting in favor and Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas standing as the sole Democrat to break ranks. The legislation would mandate documentary proof of citizenship such as a passport or birth certificate when registering to vote in federal elections. It would also require photo identification at polling places. (RELATED: Just One Democrat Votes For Trump-Backed Election Integrity Bill)
The bill now heads to the Senate, where it faces steep odds. Republicans control 53 seats, but passage requires 60 votes to clear a filibuster. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has already announced her opposition.
Trump’s executive order threat comes despite a federal court blocking a similar attempt last year, according to Fox News. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly struck down portions of Trump’s March 2025 election integrity order, ruling that the Constitution grants Congress and states authority over election regulations. The judge wrote that no statutory delegation permits the president to bypass the legislative process through executive action.
Public opinion remains firmly on Trump’s side. A Pew Research Center survey from August 2025 found 83% of Americans favor requiring government-issued photo ID to vote, Fox News reported. Support crosses party lines, with 95% of Republicans, 71% of Democrats, and 84% of independents backing the requirement.