Trump says he still won’t sign housing bill, which will become law soon if he doesn’t veto

Washington — President Trump on Friday said he still won’t sign the landmark bipartisan housing bill passed by Congress, though it will become law within hours if the president doesn’t veto it. He didn’t say whether he planned to veto the legislation.

The president has fumed over the Senate’s failure to pass his preferred version of a strict voting bill, the Save America Act, and demanded that Congress pass that law before anything else. Late last month, he abruptly canceled his announced signing of the legislation. 

On Friday, the president threatened to call not just Democrats, but Republicans, “DUMB,” even as Republicans are trying to score a win ahead of November on housing affordability. The median price of existing homes in June was $440,660, up 1.8% from $432,700 a year ago, according to data from the National Association of Realtors, out of the reach of the majority of Americans. 

“I will not sign the Housing Bill, which has been fully approved by Congress and sent to the White House, in PROTEST over the fact that the United States Senate is not capable of passing THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, which is polling at 97% with the Republican Party, and very high with the non-politician Dumocrats,” the president posted on Truth Social. 

Asked for further clarification on the president’s post, the White House responded by sending the same Truth Social post. 

But the housing legislation will become law by 12:01 a.m. Saturday if the president chooses not to veto it. Once congressionally approved legislation reaches the White House, the president has 10 days to veto it, or it automatically becomes law. 

The president’s refusal to sign the housing law, which many Republicans saw as a concrete win on a top issue for voters in a tough midterm election cycle, baffled some Republicans in Congress — and took some of the president’s own aides by surprise. The White House had touted the president’s anticipated signing of the law on the schedule, before the president abruptly canceled it June 24. 

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is the most comprehensive housing legislation in decades. It aims to increase housing supply and bring down costs, including by limiting institutional investors from purchasing some single-family homes.