President Trump is refusing to sign the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which will become law at midnight on July 10, 2026, without his signature. On Friday morning, Trump posted on Truth Social: “I will not sign the Housing Bill, which has been fully approved by Congress and sent to the White House, in PROTEST over the fact that the United States Senate is not capable of passing THE SAVE AMERICA ACT.”
The bipartisan housing bill passed both houses of Congress with overwhelming support in June, described by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt as “one of the most significant pieces of housing legislation in American history.” House Speaker Mike Johnson formally transmitted the bill to the White House on June 29, starting a 10-day clock. When the president takes no action within 10 days, the bill automatically becomes law under the Constitution—a process that will complete at 11:59 p.m. ET tonight.
Trump canceled a planned signing ceremony for the bill on June 24, shortly after it passed Congress. He called the legislation “a big yawn” and “of minor importance,” stipulating that he would only sign if Congress first passed the SAVE America Act, a strict voter ID bill that requires proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo ID to cast a ballot. The SAVE Act has stalled in the Senate, where it lacks the 60 votes needed to pass.
The housing bill aims to make homeownership more affordable by encouraging construction across the country. It contains more than 40 provisions from both Republicans and Democrats, addressing everything from corporate home ownership to manufactured home construction. One provision caps how many single-family homes corporate landlords that own at least 350 houses can buy, a measure Trump himself promoted. The bill also removes requirements that manufactured homes have a permanent chassis, potentially saving $5,000 to $10,000 per home in construction costs, and creates grant programs for communities to develop preapproved housing designs.
Housing affordability has become a potent electoral issue ahead of the midterms. According to Realtor.com, a household making $75,000 a year can afford fewer than a quarter of the home listings available. The median existing home cost $440,600 in June, according to the National Association of Realtors. Sarah Brundage, president of the National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders, said housing affordability has reached the point where lawmakers can no longer do nothing. “We have to take the time to celebrate that we have bipartisan champions,” Brundage said. “Moving forward in 2028 and beyond, I don’t think anyone can run for public office without having a perspective of how housing needs to be prioritized.”
The bill’s automatic enactment represents a rare occurrence in modern legislative practice. While Congress passed the housing bill with veto-proof majorities in both chambers, Trump’s decision to let it become law without his signature denies him a public signing ceremony that would normally accompany major legislation. The housing bill will take effect as law regardless of Trump’s refusal to sign, making it the first major federal housing legislation to pass in decades.
Sources
- NPR — coverage of the housing bill becoming law at midnight without Trump’s signature, Trump’s Truth Social statement refusing to sign, and details on the bill’s provisions including corporate home ownership caps and manufactured housing standards
- Politico — reporting on Speaker Johnson sending the housing bill to Trump on June 29, 2026, and the 10-day clock for presidential action
- Reuters — Trump’s statement calling the housing bill “a big yawn” and his insistence on the SAVE America Act
- Roll Call — confirmation that Speaker Johnson formally transmitted the bill to the White House on June 29, starting the countdown to enactment
- Bipartisan Policy Center — details on the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act’s provisions and policy goals
