‘This is voter suppression’: Kristi Noem says the quiet part aloud
For some time now, members of the Donald Trump administration have been advocating for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, which, among other things, makes it mandatory for voters to present voter identification cards during elections.
While that seems fair on paper and many countries around the world also follow it, let’s not forget the kind of people the ones pushing for it are. More political provisions pushed for by people in power mean more control over who gets to vote and who they vote for.
A recent video of Kristi Noem, circulating on social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter), has become the subject of discussion among people, particularly due to the controversial nature of her words in it. While conducting a recent press conference, Noem, in this video, is essentially proposing that only those people who lean Republican be allowed to vote for Republican candidates.
Kristi Noem is pushing for the passing of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act
During a press conference on February 13, 2026, to discuss election security, the United States Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, stressed the importance of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, saying that elections were one of the most “critical infrastructure responsibilities” she had, adding that it was her and her department’s responsibility to ensure that the process was trustworthy and reliable.
In addition to this, she also elaborated on one of the outcomes of the voting process she was striving for, stating, “When it gets to Election Day, we’ve been proactive to make sure we have the right people voting, electing the right leaders to lead this country.” Noem’s words in this aspect were not taken lightly by the thousands of people who commented under a video of the same on X. The consensus was that she was speaking the language of a fascist regime involving greater control over individuals’ choices and daily lives. As user @Trishems pointed out, “Aka: we will decide which votes count and don’t, based on the right people and the others will be “pending status” a those won’t count.”
What Kristi Noem means when she says she wants the “right people” to vote for the “right leaders”
As previously mentioned, an increase in rules results in greater control, and Kristi Noem’s comments during her recent press conference are a clear example of this. An article published by Forbes on February 13, 2026, discusses how the SAVE America Act is trying to address a problem that doesn’t actually exist. It is already illegal for non-American citizens to vote in US elections, and research shows that they contribute to approximately 0.04% of the voting population, a minuscule figure. Additionally, studies indicate that if the SAVE America Act is enacted, it would disenfranchise millions of eligible individuals who lack easy access to their required documents.
On the other hand, people are suggesting that rules such as this would make it easier for the Republicans to manipulate votes. The same Forbes article mentioned before contains a quote from Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer, who spoke on the floor about the SAVE Act on February 9th, 2026, and said: “This is the truth: the SAVE Act is not a mainstream bill whatsoever. It’s a fringe piece of legislation that has now taken over the Republican party, masquerading as election security when it’s really about laying the groundwork to meddle in the midterm elections, and make it much harder for people to vote.”
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