The sweeping housing bill that Congress passed last week is headed for the books no matter what President Donald Trump decides to do, according to House Speaker Mike Johnson. Even as Trump withholds his support, Johnson is confident the legislation cannot be stopped now.

Johnson’s Confident Prediction

In an exclusive sit-down with USA TODAY at the U.S. Capitol, Johnson laid out a simple reality: the president can either let the bipartisan measure take effect on its own or eventually put his name on it, but either path leads to the same destination.

The bill cleared both the House and Senate with overwhelming majorities, and Johnson made clear he does not expect a veto. He said the president would either allow it to quietly become law or sign it and claim partial credit, adding that he hoped Trump would choose the latter.

Johnson revealed that he pressed the issue directly during a two-hour Oval Office meeting on Monday, June 29. By his account, Trump said he would think it over and revisit the conversation later in the week.

Trump Dismisses the Measure

The president, however, has shown little enthusiasm. Earlier that same day, Trump brushed the bill off as a big yawn and called it deeply unimportant when stacked against the SAVE America Act, a Republican priority that would require proof of citizenship to register and a photo ID to vote.

The friction has played out publicly. Last week, Trump abruptly scrapped a planned signing ceremony for the housing bill, halting its immediate path into law. He has signaled he will not back the housing legislation until the GOP voting bill clears the Senate, where it has so far failed to gather enough support.

How the Bill Can Pass Anyway

Despite the standoff, the mechanics of the legislative process work in the bill’s favor. Formally titled the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the measure can still become law if Trump neither signs nor vetoes it within 10 days, excluding Sundays.

Johnson noted over the weekend that the bill would be formally sent to the White House on June 29, officially starting that countdown. He acknowledged the president has the full 10 days to make up his mind, but he pushed back on the idea that one priority must come at the expense of another. He recalled telling Trump that the government can walk and chew gum at the same time, stressing that the housing bill contains strong policy and important commitments both men had made to voters.

The SAVE America Act Standoff

The dispute has unfolded during an especially chaotic stretch for the speaker. After the president pressured GOP leaders by holding the housing bill hostage, conservative hardliners in the House escalated the standoff in their own way. A group of Republican lawmakers seized control of the legislative schedule, refusing to cast votes until Johnson could chart a realistic path for the SAVE America Act.

The House has already approved versions of the voting reform bill several times, but it remains stuck in the Senate, where moderate Republicans like Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski and Maine’s Susan Collins stand opposed. Caught in the middle of the rebellion, Johnson canceled unrelated votes as he struggled to round up support, fueling fresh anxiety among moderate Republicans about how much the party can accomplish before the midterms and an extended recess looming at the end of next month.

Walking a Political Tightrope

Even amid the disorder, Johnson said he understands the argument Trump and his conservative allies are making. Yet he insists the housing bill advances the very affordable-housing goals the president himself has championed.

He even tried to appeal to Trump’s instinct for ownership, recounting how he urged the president to grab the biggest black marker he could find and scrawl his signature across the bill, because there was plenty in it to be proud of.

Behind the scenes, Johnson floated a riskier maneuver as well, telling reporters he had a plan to merge the SAVE America Act with the must-pass annual defense policy bill. That gambit, however, could endanger the defense legislation, which authorizes critical national security programs.

The Hardliners Remain Unmoved

For all of Johnson’s maneuvering, the most committed conservatives in his party are still not satisfied. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, the Florida Republican leading the House push for the SAVE America Act, made her stance plain. She insisted she was not trying to be difficult, framing the voting measure as something 80 percent of Americans want and a promise made to the American people.

With the clock now ticking on the White House’s 10-day window, the housing bill appears poised to become law regardless of the political drama swirling around it, leaving the bigger question of the SAVE America Act unresolved and the GOP’s internal divisions on full display.