Donald Trump may soon be heading into a full-blown standoff with Senate Majority Leader John Thune as White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt openly warned that the president “is running out” of patience with him.
The dispute centers on stalled legislation surrounding Trump’s SAVE America Act, which seeks to make sweeping changes to voter registration requirements in federal elections.
In a recent address to the nation, Trump claimed China interfered in the 2020 presidential election, though critics accused him of attempting to undermine confidence in the U.S. electoral process.
Tensions between the White House and Capitol Hill spilled into public view on Thursday as White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Donald Trump is nearing the end of his patience with Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
The president has been pushing to pass his proposed SAVE America Act, legislation that would require documented proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.
However, the measure has largely stalled, with Thune saying he does not have the votes needed to advance it. With the August congressional recess fast approaching and the November midterm elections drawing closer, the bill’s prospects remain uncertain.
“Look, the president spoke about this directly yesterday,” Leavitt said, referencing comments Trump made in Georgia on Wednesday, per Politico. “His patience is running out.”
“The Senate needs to do its job,” she added.
John Thune Fires Back At White House
Thune quickly pushed back against Leavitt’s comments, insisting the controversial bill simply lacks the votes needed to pass the Senate and arguing that the administration should focus on persuading lawmakers instead.
“Maybe she or somebody else ought to get on the phone and get the votes. Right? It’s 50 around here,” the senator told reporters at the Capitol on Thursday.
“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,” he added. “And if there are Republicans that they think are gettable, get on the phone. Let’s get them to yes.”
Donald Trump Urges Supporters To Pressure Thune
3While the Republican-controlled House moved swiftly to pass the bill, progress in the Senate has dragged, and Trump has not hidden his frustration.
Speaking at a rally in Georgia on Wednesday, the president criticized Thune and the Senate over the bill’s lack of progress.
“The Senate is a place you send things when you want them to die,” Trump said. “We’re not going to take this any longer. We’re not going to take it. I’m trying to be nice.”
“Everybody, call John Thune. He’s the leader of the Republican Party, and tell him to get this stuff approved,” he added.
Republican Senators Rally Behind Thune
The bill will require Democratic support to reach the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. According to CNN, another option would be for Republicans to pursue a procedural vote requiring only 50 GOP senators. However, more than half of the Republican conference opposes that approach.
Amid the growing tensions, several Republican lawmakers publicly backed Thune, with Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana dismissing speculation about replacing the majority leader.
“That’s not something we’re talking about. I’ve heard nobody talk about that,” Kennedy said.
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said he has “1000% confidence” in Thune, adding that “anybody in the White House who thinks he’s not a good leader isn’t qualified for their job.”
Despite voting against the SAVE America Act, Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins of Maine also backed Thune, saying he “enjoys well-deserved support from the caucus.”
Donald Trump Revives China Election Interference Claim
3Trump recently claimed during a national address that China interfered in the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to Joe Biden.
He alleged that Xi Jinping’s government gained access to more than 220 million voter files before the election, calling it “the largest compromise of election data in history.”
Although he offered no evidence to support the allegation, Trump argued that the revelation demonstrates the U.S. electoral system is vulnerable to “manipulation and corruption.”
Critics quickly pushed back on the unsubstantiated claims, accusing Trump of attempting to undermine confidence in the election process while reinforcing his case for the SAVE America Act.
Liu Chang, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, rejected the allegation, saying, “China has never and will never interfere in the presidential elections of the U.S.”