Sen. Mark Kelly accuses Trump of holding housing bill ‘hostage’ over voting legislation

Sen. Mark Kelly criticized President Donald Trump on Wednesday for refusing to sign a landmark bipartisan housing bill, calling the move an attempt to leverage relief for struggling homebuyers in exchange for restrictive voting legislation that lacks the support to pass.

Trump canceled a planned signing ceremony for the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act on Wednesday morning, posting on Truth Social that the event was “hereby cancelled” until Congress passes the SAVE America Act, which would impose strict new voter identification requirements and effectively end widespread mail-in voting.

The housing package passed the House 358-32 and cleared the Senate with similarly overwhelming margins earlier this week.

While three Arizona lawmakers voted against the housing measure, more than 80 senators supported the measure, which aims to boost housing supply, cut regulatory barriers and expand access to manufactured homes.

“Holding good legislation hostage for bad legislation, that’s not a winning formula,” Kelly told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

Kelly, the son of two police officers who has spoken frequently about growing up in a middle class family, said the president is disconnected from everyday Americans facing a housing affordability crisis.

“He’s a billionaire. He’s got billions of more dollars now than he did at the beginning of this administration because of corruption,” Kelly said. “I don’t think he understands what regular people go through.”

The senior senator took particular aim at the SAVE America Act’s impact on Arizona, where roughly 80% of voters cast ballots by mail. The legislation would require proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or passport, to register, documents Kelly said many Arizonans, especially tribal members, do not readily possess.

“It ends vote by mail,” Kelly said. “If it was to go away, it would disenfranchise people.”

Kelly also dismissed Trump’s fixation on the 2020 election as a motivating force behind the voting bill.

“He lost the 2020 election. He thinks he won. He did not win,” Kelly said.

Even without Trump’s signature, the housing bill could become law within 10 days if the president does not issue a formal veto and Congress remains in session.

Arizona Rep. Greg Stanton says Trump is throwing a “temper tantrum”

Kelly was not alone in his criticism. Arizona Rep. Greg Stanton accused Trump of throwing a temper tantrum over the SAVE Act.

“This is the most important housing bill that passed the house in nearly 40 years,” Stanton told the BBC. “This is one big temper tantrum by President Trump.”

Trump is refusing to sign a bipartisan bill to lower housing costs for families. This president would rather push voting conspiracy theories than help Arizonans afford a home. pic.twitter.com/A9gbE4llYB

— Rep. Greg Stanton (@RepGregStanton) June 25, 2026

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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