White House slams Obama for opposing SAVE Act: ‘Voter ID laws are common sense’

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denounced Democrats for bringing out “Obama to spread lies about voter ID” as the SAVE America Act heads to the Senate.

The legislation, backed by President Donald Trump and passed Wednesday in the House 218-213, would require proof of citizenship when registering to vote and voter identification when casting ballots.

Former President Barack Obama said the measure would “make it harder to vote and disenfranchise millions of Americans,” urging the public to tell their senators to vote against it.

“You know how badly the Democrats are panicking when they bring out Obama to spread lies about voter ID,” Leavitt responded on X. Nearly 90% of voters support “requiring government-issued photo ID to vote” as well as “proof of citizenship when registering to vote for the first time,” she added.

The press secretary also posted a video of Obama showing his ID to vote in a previous election.

“Why are Democrats in Congress so opposed to making this a requirement across the country?” Leavitt asked. “Voter ID laws are common sense.”

Most Americans (83%) support requiring all voters to show government-issued photo ID, Pew Research Center polling indicates, with support high among voters in both parties. A whopping 95% of Republicans support photo ID, while 71% of Democrats agree.

Despite the broad support for voter ID, Democrats in Congress have been resistant to the SAVE Act. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the legislation was about “voter suppression.”

“This is a desperate effort by Republicans to distract,” he told reporters this week.

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who introduced the bill, touted it as “simple common sense” after it passed in the House.

“There is a reason that it is polling at astronomical levels no matter which party you’re in, no matter what race or background you have, whether you’re urban or rural, whether you’re black, or white, Hispanic, whether you’re male or female,” he said. “The American people want a sovereign nation, they understand that voter ID is common sense to vote, they want only American citizens to vote in American elections, and this legislation does that.” 

Speaker Mike Johnson has emphasized that “only American citizens should decide American elections.” A photo ID is required to drive, open a bank account, board a flight, donate blood, buy alcohol, and stay in a hotel room, he noted.

“This is simple, if you need an ID to live your daily life, you should need an ID to choose the leader of the free world,” he said in a statement.