Donald Trump erupted at Senate Majority Leader John Thune for failing to get his signature bill through Congress as the Senate scrambles to wrap up its priorities before the August recess.
Tensions between the two men have been simmering for weeks but could take an explosive turn as the Senate struggles to move forward with Trump’s agenda because it does not have the votes.
“John Thune should not allow the United States Senate to ‘leave town’ until it passes The Save America Act or, far better still, TERMINATES THE FILIBUSTER, where Republicans can then quickly pass everything they ever dreamed of, including a full and deep throated SAVE AMERICA ACT, the Budget, and the ever looming Debt Ceiling disaster, 1929!” Trump ranted on Truth Social.
Trump, 80, repeated his claim that “Dumocrats will do it on day one,” despite that not having happened when Democrats were in power less than two years ago.
He took aim at top Senate Republicans, claiming Democrats “can’t believe how lucky they got with this Senate leadership” and declared, “Remember, stupidity always brings LOSING & DEATH!”
The Senate is in this week and next week before heading out for a summer recess through mid-September. The House headed out for five weeks of August recess last week, and will only return for one week at the end of next month before skipping out again until after Labor Day.
House Republicans recently included provisions of the SAVE America Act in a larger legislative package before leaving town, but the effort has no path forward in the Senate.
Republicans do not have the votes to even pass the SAVE America Act with a simple majority, never mind the necessary 60 votes to pass legislation without being blocked by the filibuster through regular order.
Trump’s post on Monday came after he also demanded Senate Republicans terminate the filibuster in an unhinged posting spree over the weekend.
Some Senate Republicans are threatening civil war as senators head back to Washington, D.C. on Monday over the president’s voting legislation.
On Sunday, Sen. Mike Lee said he would object to any effort for the Senate to recess in August until the Senate passes the SAVE America Act.
A single senator has the power to object to the Senate adjourning for a longer recess and can force a roll-call vote on it, slowing the Senate’s ability to head out.
“Do not assume you have my consent,” he wrote, tagging Thune on X. “You do not.”
He was joined by Sen. Rick Scott, who said that he stood with Lee and would vote to keep the Senate in session until the passage of MAGA voting legislation.
“The American people expect us to deliver,” Scott wrote on X. “They deserve secure elections.”
It comes after Thune fired back at White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday for venting frustration over Trump’s stalled agenda.
Leavitt, 28, complained that the Senate needed to do its job and warned that patience is running out with Senate Republicans at her press briefing, which led to a rare direct rebuke from Thune on Capitol Hill.
“Maybe she or somebody else ought to get on the phone and get the votes. Right? It’s 50 around here,” the Senate majority leader fired back while speaking to a group of reporters.
Republicans have 53 seats in the Senate while Democrats hold 47 seats, but Senator Mitch McConnell has been out for more than five weeks since being hospitalized on June 14.
Other Republicans, including Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Thom Tillis, have been critical of the SAVE America Act and efforts to rush it through before the midterms.
