Trump cites India voter ID for SAVE Act

US President Donald Trump has renewed his push for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, citing India's electoral system and its voter identification requirements. In a Truth Social post on August 17, 2026, Trump referenced India's Chief Election Commissioner Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who reportedly questioned how US elections could be conducted without a valid photo ID. Trump highlighted that India's 2024 general election had 646 million voters, with less than 1% voting by mail and every voter required to have a valid photo identity document. He urged Congress to pass the SAVE America Act. US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor endorsed Trump's remarks on X, stating that Trump was 'absolutely correct' and calling on Congress to pass the legislation. The SAVE America Act, introduced in Congress on January 29, 2026, would require documentary proof of US citizenship for federal voter registration, mandate photo identification for voting, restrict mail-in voting, and require states to remove non-citizens from voter rolls. The bill passed the House in February by a 218-213 vote but has faced opposition in the Senate, where it stalled before the summer recess. The United States — White House has compared US election procedures to those in India and Brazil, noting that these countries link voter ID to biometric databases. India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded that the credibility and robustness of India's election machinery is a well-established fact globally. The legislation remains a contentious issue in US politics, with Democrats arguing that stricter requirements could disenfranchise eligible voters.