Thune Responds to White House on Trump’s Frustration with SAVE Act

Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune pushed back against White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt, who indicated that President Donald Trump’s patience with the stalled Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act has reached its breaking point.

During a rally in Georgia on Wednesday, Trump expressed his mounting frustration with the Senate’s delays in passing the bill, which would mandate documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration and require voters to present a photo ID for federal elections. Daily Caller White House correspondent Reagan Reese brought up Trump’s dissatisfaction with Thune during a briefing on Thursday.

“The president made his feelings clear yesterday. His patience is waning. He wants the SAVE America Act passed before the August recess,” Leavitt explained.

In response, Thune addressed Levitt’s comments at a press conference, suggesting that the White House should take action instead of pointing fingers. “Maybe someone there should pick up the phone and gather the votes,” he remarked.

“Instead of blaming Republicans, they should focus on those in the chamber who are really holding things up—the Democrats. If they believe they can sway a Republican, they should make that call,” Thune added.

Asked by Punch Bowl Senior Congressional Correspondent Andrew Desiderio about the White House’s motives for criticizing him, Thune admitted, “I wish I had a good answer for that.”

The House recently approved a budget reconciliation package nearing $95 billion that includes elements of the SAVE Act, allocating $10 billion to help states implement parts of the legislation. However, the Senate has rejected the bill twice this year.

Thune has often expressed skepticism about the Senate’s ability to pass the bill. As reported on July 16, he referred to House Speaker Mike Johnson’s comments about sending the bill to Trump’s desk before the August break as “news.”

“I have to be realistic,” Thune reflected. “We cannot guarantee anything here.”

At the rally, Trump suggested that the Senate is ineffective, stating, “The Senate is where you send things to die.” He conveyed a sense of urgency for change, emphasizing, “We’re not going to put up with this anymore.”

Leavitt expressed confidence that the bill aligns with popular sentiment among voters. “He knows that this is what the American people want,” she noted, mentioning the enthusiastic applause at Trump’s rallies as a sign of support for his voting reforms.

“The House has done its part,” Leavitt concluded. “The Senate needs to step up as well.”