President Trump escalated his pressure campaign on Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) on Monday, demanding the immediate dismissal of Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough to pave the way for the SAVE America Act. The legislation would require proof of citizenship to register and a photo ID to cast a ballot.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Senate Majority Leader John Thune should immediately fire the parliamentarian, who treats Republicans and everything they stand for horribly!” He argued that MacDonough is a major obstacle to enacting the bill, which he described as “desperately needed.”
The parliamentarian had ruled that the SAVE America Act violated the Byrd Rule, which governs what can be included in budget reconciliation bills to avoid a filibuster. That decision forced Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) to seek 60 votes to waive budgetary objections, but both motions fell short. Four Republicans—Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.)—voted against one of the waivers.
Thune has repeatedly resisted Trump’s calls to fire MacDonough. After a similar demand last month, Thune said such a move would “create even more vote issues” and warned it could damage Senate norms, which grant the minority party significant power. The parliamentarian, appointed by then-Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) in 2012, has been a target of Trump’s ire before. He also criticized McConnell for not replacing her after Republicans won the Senate majority in 2014, calling McConnell “very disloyal to John Thune.”
The dispute echoes broader GOP frustrations with Senate procedures. A recent federal court ruling blocked a Trump administration effort to curb renewable energy tax credits, highlighting the judiciary’s role in shaping policy. Meanwhile, Trump's combative style was on display when he abruptly ended a Meet the Press interview after being pressed on 2020 election claims.
The SAVE America Act remains stalled, and Trump’s latest broadside underscores the tension between the White House and Senate leadership over legislative strategy. With the 2024 election cycle intensifying, the fight over voting rules and Senate procedure is likely to persist.
