President Trump criticized Sen. John Thune (R-SD) for his weak, unimpressive effort to pass the SAVE America Act, a key priority for the president and a top demand of the GOP base. The bill will be a significant step toward improving election integrity, specifically making sure only Americans vote in U.S. elections. It represents everything conservatives have fought for regarding election security.
Yet, CBS News’ Margaret Brennan thought it could undermine faith in our elections, because why wouldn’t an establishment outlet go down that rabbit hole? Yet, Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) was the one interviewed for this segment, and he wasn’t having any of this nonsense. His response to her first question was great, with a simple “no.”
Senator John Kennedy just went toe-to-toe with CBS’ Margaret Brennan after she claimed the SAVE America Act would “hurt faith” in America’s elections.
— Overton (@overton_news) July 26, 2026
Kennedy argued the legislation would do the EXACT opposite.
BRENNAN: “The SAVE Act, as you know, or even some version of it, is… pic.twitter.com/bSuDp7yYr9
BRENNAN: “The SAVE Act, as you know, or even some version of it, is highly partisan, highly controversial.”
“Bigger picture, isn’t it going to hurt faith in our election process if a Republican-only policy to change how elections are run is rammed through 100 days…less than 100 days out from the election?”
KENNEDY: “No.”
“In my opinion, for both sides to have credibility in our elections, we need to do two things and only two things.”
“Number one, you have to prove you are who you say you are in order to register to vote and to vote.”
“And number two, however you decide to vote, that’s up to the states. We need to go back to having an election day, not an election month.”
“We’ve got to know the results of elections that night or shortly thereafter, if it’s close.”
“That, to me, is what the SAVE Act is all about.”
“And I think we can pass it. And I think we can craft it in a way to survive a birdbath, but we’re not going to know if we don’t try!”
BRENNAN: “Grants, in other words, to states to incentivize. Not requirements for states to action…that’s your version.”
KENNEDY: “That’s not the only thing.”
“I’ve been contacted by some really smart people about a way to do it in addition to the grants. I’m not saying it will work. But you’re not going to know unless you try.”
You’ll always know Kennedy will do his very best to defend the conservative cause when he’s part of the batting order.