RINOs are a huge problem in America. But they’re getting sniffed out.
And now a key Republican Senator made a massive backtrack after teaming up with Democrats.
In a frustrating display of establishment caution, veteran Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley initially appeared to throw cold water on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act—a critical bill championed by President Donald Trump to ensure only American citizens vote in federal elections.
A leaked January 20, 2026, letter to a constituent had Grassley emphasizing states’ rights over federal mandates, stating, “I do not believe that Iowa and other states need politicians in Washington D.C. dictating and controlling how states run their elections.”
While he paid lip service to supporting voter ID in principle—“I also support requiring voter identification because I believe that every fraudulent vote dilutes the votes of legitimate voters”—the wording fueled perceptions that the 92-year-old senator was resisting stronger federal safeguards against non-citizen voting, a key Trump priority for securing elections.
This hesitation came amid widespread calls for the SAVE Act, which would require documentary proof of citizenship for federal voter registration and mandate purging non-citizens from rolls—addressing loopholes in the National Voter Registration Act that courts have exploited to block state-level citizenship checks.
Grassley’s Slow-Walk and Backtrack Raise Questions on Commitment to Election Integrity
The letter sparked immediate backlash, with critics interpreting it as a soft no to the SAVE Act, sponsored by Utah Sen. Mike Lee. Grassley has a long history of prioritizing state autonomy on elections, having opposed past federal overhauls like the For the People Act that expanded mail-in options and loosened ID rules.
Yet in an era where President Trump has made crystal-clear that elections must be ironclad—with only citizens voting—Grassley’s initial reluctance felt like unnecessary foot-dragging from a long-serving Republican who should be leading the charge.
Only after the letter went viral did Grassley rush to clarify on X on January 21, 2026: “Dont believe everything u read on the internet Im not opposed 2 SAVE Act In fact Ive been fighting alongside Iowa Scty of State Pate 2hold Biden admin accountable for their hiding immigration/citizenship voter data in 2024 election ELECTIONS MUST B SECURE W ONLY CITIZENS VOTING.”
While the clarification is welcome, it highlights a pattern: Grassley often needs public pressure to fully align with bold, America-first reforms rather than defaulting to cautious federalism arguments that can delay real progress.
Trump’s Momentum Pushes Forward Despite Hesitation from Old Guard
Sen. Mike Lee powerfully countered any states-only complacency, posting on X that “Federal law is the problem here; a federal statute—the NVRA—has been (wrongly) interpreted by the courts to prohibit states from seeking proof of citizenship,” and stressing that “the SAVE Act would fix the problem.
You can’t default to federalism when federal law is itself the problem.” Lee later told the Daily Caller he was “grateful” for Grassley’s eventual support, adding, “I look forward to working with him to get the SAVE Act passed in the Senate and on President Trump’s desk.”
President Trump amplified Lee’s message on Truth Social, keeping the spotlight on this vital reform.
With the House having already passed the SAVE Act and non-citizen voting concerns mounting, Trump’s leadership continues to drive the fight for secure, citizen-only elections—proving once again why his decisive push overcomes resistance from even longtime allies.
Grassley’s backtrack is a step in the right direction, but true conservatives expect unwavering support from the start, not after-the-fact corrections. The American people deserve nothing less than full-throated backing for measures that protect the integrity of their vote.
