Trump, Thune clash
Intra-party tension grows as Trump pressures Thune on filibuster-stalled SAVE Act
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Key Points
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Senate Republican Leader John Thune has strong backing from key allies, with Sen. Thom Tillis saying he has '1,000 percent confidence in Thune' and asserting that White House leadership would be 'not qualified' if they doubt him.
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Thune emphasized the Senate math makes passage unlikely: with 53 Republican seats and a 60-vote filibuster threshold, there are not enough Democratic votes to overcome or gut the filibuster.
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House Speaker Mike Johnson’s Republican-only budget plan to advance SAVE Act provisions passed the House 216-214, with all Democrats voting against it, highlighting intra-party divisions over strategy.
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At a Georgia rally, Trump characterized the Senate’s handling of the SAVE America Act with the line, 'The senate is where you send things you want them to die,' and urged supporters to call Thune to push for passage.
The White House is turning up the heat on Senate Majority Leader John Thune over the stalled SAVE America Act. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Trump's patience with Thune is "running out" as the voter ID and proof-of-citizenship bill sits idle in the Senate, according to Daily Caller.
Thune fired back quickly. He argued the real problem is math, not will. With 53 Republican seats and a 60-vote filibuster threshold, Republicans simply do not have the votes to pass it alone, Daily Wire reported.
Leavitt and Thune Trade Public Barbs Over Senate Inaction
Leavitt did not hold back. She said Trump is losing patience with Thune and wants the Senate to act. The White House argues the House has already done its part. House Speaker Mike Johnson's Republican-only plan to advance SAVE Act provisions passed 216-214, with every Democrat voting no, according to Miami Herald.
Thune responded bluntly. He told Leavitt and others to "pick up the phone" and find the votes themselves, Daily Wire reported. He said the filibuster — not Republican reluctance — is the wall blocking the bill.
Senate Republicans Close Ranks Around Thune Despite White House Pressure
Not everyone in the GOP is siding with the White House. Sen. Thom Tillis came out swinging for Thune. He said he has "1,000 percent confidence" in the Majority Leader. Tillis went further, saying White House officials would be "not qualified" if they doubt Thune's leadership, according to Joe My God.
Support for gutting the filibuster remains shaky inside the party. Many Republican senators see the filibuster as a long-term protection. Breaking it to pass one bill could set a precedent they fear using against them later.
Trump Takes His Case Directly to Voters at Georgia Rally
Trump did not stay quiet behind closed doors. At a Georgia rally, he told the crowd, "The Senate is where you send things you want them to die." He urged supporters to call Thune directly and push for a vote, according to Miami Herald.
Trump framed the August recess as a key deadline. He argued supporters should pressure senators before they leave Washington. The move signals Trump plans to keep the SAVE Act front and center as a political issue heading into the fall.
Filibuster Math Leaves SAVE Act Future Uncertain
The numbers tell a clear story. Republicans hold 53 Senate seats. They need 60 votes to break a filibuster. That means they need at least 7 Democrats to cross over. So far, none have shown interest, according to Daily Caller.
The White House says negotiations over government funding past September are also in play. The standoff over the SAVE Act adds tension to those talks. For now, both sides are dug in, and the bill is going nowhere fast, Miami Herald reported.
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