Former Trump White House deputy press secretary Sarah Matthews argued this week that President Donald Trump is hurting Republican prospects ahead of the 2026 midterm elections by prioritizing election legislation over issues she believes voters care about most.
Speaking with MS NOW correspondent Antonia Hylton, Matthews criticized Trump’s renewed push for the SAVE America Act, suggesting his political focus is out of step with the concerns of many Americans.
“I think that if President Trump was doing everything in his power to tank Republicans’ chances in the midterms, he wouldn’t be doing anything differently,” Matthews said. “That’s what it seems like.”
Matthews served in the Trump White House from June 2020 until January 2021.
She went on to argue that Trump has historically prioritized his own political interests over those of the Republican Party.
“It seems like he does not care about the party, which he never has, to be fair,” Matthews said. “He has never cared about what is good for the betterment of the Republican Party. He has only ever cared about himself and accumulating as much power as possible.”
Her comments came after Trump once again urged Congress to pass the SAVE America Act following a recent Supreme Court ruling on election procedures.
On Truth Social, Trump argued the legislation had become even more important in light of the Court’s decision.
“It is more important than ever to pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT,” Trump wrote.
The legislation has become one of the president’s top legislative priorities.
Matthews, however, questioned whether election policy is what most voters are focused on heading into November.
“He doesn’t care about affordability,” she said. “He obviously doesn’t care about housing.”
She argued that housing costs remain one of the biggest challenges facing younger Americans and said many Republican lawmakers had hoped to campaign on bipartisan housing legislation.
According to Matthews, Trump’s decision to stall a bipartisan housing bill until the election integrity bill moves forward could deprive Republicans of an issue that resonates more broadly with voters.
“When there is this bipartisan bill, that is an easy win for Republicans in the midterms to point to as a tangible thing that they did to address the affordability crisis,” she said. “Trump has to immediately make it all about himself and try to use it as leverage to get what he wants passed.”
“They don’t really care about this SAVE America Act,” Matthews said. “They care about what is he doing to lower costs for me and my family.”
Readers should note that the substance of SAVE America Act has overwhelming support from the American people, polling with 80% approval or more in many official surveys.
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