Dem Senator Walks Back Support for Trump's Voter Suppression Bill

Sen. John Fetterman admits key claims about the SAVE America Act 'just not true'

Mar. 11, 2026 at 11:30pm

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Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has walked back his previous support for President Trump's SAVE America Act, a bill that would impose strict new voting restrictions nationwide. In a new interview, Fetterman said the bill has 'some truths' but that he does not support it 'in its current state' and criticized Trump's 'ridiculous' claims about the safety of mail-in voting.

Why it matters

Fetterman's reversal is significant as he was the only Democratic senator who had appeared to back the SAVE America Act, which voting rights advocates have condemned as a blatant attempt at voter suppression. His change of stance could impact the bill's chances of advancing in Congress.

The details

In an interview with CBS, Fetterman said while the SAVE America Act has 'some truths' in it, he 'can't ever vote for that, because I could never agree, something that's just not true.' He was specifically referring to Trump's ongoing false claims about the dangers of mail-in voting. This marks a shift from Fetterman's previous comments on Fox News, where he seemed to endorse the bill and criticized Democrats for calling it 'Jim Crow 2.0'.

  • On February 1, 2026, Fetterman appeared on Fox News and appeared to endorse the SAVE America Act.
  • On March 11, 2026, Fetterman walked back his support for the bill in an interview with CBS.

The players

Sen. John Fetterman

A Democratic senator from Pennsylvania who initially appeared to support President Trump's SAVE America Act, a bill that would impose strict new voting restrictions, but has since walked back that support.

President Donald Trump

The former president who has pushed for the SAVE America Act and made false claims about the dangers of mail-in voting.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer

The Democratic senator who has criticized the SAVE America Act as 'Jim Crow 2.0'.

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What they’re saying

“It's not a radical idea for regular Americans to show your ID to vote, and absolutely those things are not Jim Crow or anything.”

— Sen. John Fetterman

“The president is constantly critical on mail-in voting. And that's ridiculous. It's safe.”

— Sen. John Fetterman

What’s next

The fate of the SAVE America Act remains uncertain as it faces an uphill battle in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

The takeaway

Fetterman's reversal on the SAVE America Act highlights the ongoing partisan divide over voting rights and the need for bipartisan solutions to ensure fair and accessible elections.