Trump–Thune Relationship — GOP Tensions Ahead of Midterms

Trump–Thune Relationship — GOP Tensions Ahead of Midterms

A rift between President Trump and Senate Majority Leader John Thune has become one of the more consequential storylines in Washington, with Republicans increasingly anxious about the toll it could take heading into the November midterms.

Unlike House Speaker Mike Johnson, who reportedly can barely get the president off the phone, Thune can go days or even weeks without hearing from Trump directly, often learning about the president's frustrations through Truth Social or media coverage instead. During one recent tense stretch — with a Trump Cabinet nominee in trouble and a major funding bill in doubt — Thune told reporters he hadn't spoken to the president in nearly two weeks. News Channel 3-12News Channel 3-12

The strain has been building for months. Relations soured further after Trump moved to oust fellow Republican Sen. John Cornyn in his May primary, and as the president has pushed for the Senate to eliminate the filibuster, a demand Thune has repeatedly rejected. Thune has described the current dynamic bluntly, telling reporters that with Trump these days, contact is "more on an as-needed basis." News Channel 3-12News Channel 3-12

The dispute has spilled into public view. At a rally in Georgia, Trump singled out the Senate, saying it was "like... a place you send things when you want them to die," and Trump has openly floated forcing Thune's hand rather than negotiating privately. Asked directly whether Thune would remain the right man for the job, Trump replied only, "Well, we're going to find out, and I'll let you know," while White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt separately said the president's "patience is running out" with Thune. MS NOWMS NOW

The central flashpoint is Trump's push for the SAVE America Act, a voter-ID and voting-restriction bill that currently lacks the votes to clear the Senate's 60-vote threshold. The friction is also fueling internal GOP unrest: Trump-aligned members of the MAGA wing in Congress are reportedly planning a vote this week to block the Senate from adjourning for its summer recess, with roughly a dozen Republicans said to support the effort. One anonymous GOP senator summed up the mood to CNN: "We are knifing each other." Android PolsCNN