Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) delivered a sharp retort Thursday after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt suggested President Trump's patience with the GOP leader is wearing thin over the stalled SAVE America Act voter ID legislation.
“Maybe she or somebody else ought to get on the phone and get the votes. Right? It’s 50 around here,” Thune shot back when asked about Leavitt’s remarks during a press briefing. He added, “Instead of 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 they think are gettable, get on the phone.”
The exchange underscores a growing rift between the White House and Senate Republicans over the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would require proof of citizenship for voter registration and photo IDs to cast ballots. The Senate has voted on the measure at least five times without moving it forward, and Trump has grown increasingly vocal about his frustration.
During a trip to Georgia on Wednesday, Trump complained that “the Senate is a place you send things when you want them to die,” adding, “We’re not going to take this any longer. I’m trying to be nice.” Leavitt echoed that sentiment Thursday, telling reporters, “The president spoke about this directly yesterday. His patience is running out. He wants to see as much of the SAVE America passed as possible by the August recess.”
The House passed a budget framework Wednesday that includes $10 billion for election-related reforms as part of a larger $95 billion reconciliation package. But Thune acknowledged Thursday he doesn’t have the votes to advance that measure in the Senate. “As I’ve said before, you got to get to 50, and I can’t count to 50 right now on a budget resolution,” he said.
Thune also indicated he would hold the House-passed budget resolution as a potential vehicle for a short-term government funding bill in September, adding, “The priority is funding the government. To me that’s the thing we got to keep our eyes on.” The SAVE Act’s fate remains uncertain as the August recess looms, with Democrats blocking the legislation and some Republicans wary of the political fallout.
The tension comes amid broader White House efforts to push its agenda through Congress. Leavitt, who has faced her own scrutiny in recent weeks—including over her handling of briefings during the Iran crisis—insisted that “the House did its job, the Senate needs to do its job too.” But Thune’s blunt response suggests the battle over the voter ID bill is far from resolved.
With the 2026 midterms already casting a shadow over Capitol Hill, the standoff over the SAVE Act highlights the delicate balance between Trump’s demands and Senate Republicans’ legislative realities.
