WATCH: Leavitt Says Trump’s Patience With Thune Is ‘Running Out’
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that President Trump is losing patience with Senate Majority Leader John Thune over the stalled SAVE America Act.
The fight is centered on the Senate filibuster and the push to get election integrity measures through Congress. Trump has been pressing Senate Republicans to move faster, especially on voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements.
At a rally in Georgia, Trump called out the Senate and Thune directly. He told the crowd, “Everybody call John Thune at the Senate. He’s the leader of the Republican Party. And tell him to get this stuff approved!”
Trump also praised House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans, saying the problem is on the Senate side.
“I have to say Mike Johnson and Congress have done a great job, but we’re having a hard time in the Senate. What they are doing, it’s just not right,” Trump said of the SAVE America Act.
He added, “Congress is going to pass it again. They passed it three times. They are going to pass it again. It’s like the senate is a place you send things when you want them to die.”
On Thursday, Leavitt was asked whether Trump’s patience with Thune is running out. She did not dodge the question.
“The president spoke about this directly yesterday. His patience is running out. He wants to see as much of the same America passed as possible by the August recess,” Leavitt said.
She said the issue is not complicated for regular voters.
“He was just traveling on the road yesterday, spoke about this, and there was a very loud applause from the people in the audience, the everyday Americans because voter ID is common sense. They want proof of citizenship in our elections, and the president feels very strongly about that.”
Leavitt then put the pressure on the Senate.
“I would just add, you know, the American people elected overwhelmingly Republicans to lead, not just this White House but also the House and the Senate. The House did its job. The Senate needs to do its job, too.”
Thune pushed back after Leavitt’s comments. According to Politico’s Jordain Carney, Thune said, “ Well maybe she or somebody else ought to get on the phone and get the votes, right? It’s 50 around here, and so instead of you know pointing the finger at Republicans, they might think about going after the people who are stopping it on the floor, which is the Democrats, and if there are Republicans that they think are gettable, get on the phone.”
https://x.com/jordainc/status/2080326778413846641?s=46
Trump has criticized Thune before, saying he was “playing it too soft.” Until now, much of Trump’s pressure has been aimed at Senate Republicans as a group. But the message from the White House is getting sharper.
The House has already moved on the measure multiple times, according to Trump. Now the fight is whether the Senate will act before the August recess, or whether the bill will sit in the same place where so many Republican priorities have stalled before.