Trump Urges Thune to Push for SAVE America Act

On Monday, President Trump remarked that he has a “great relationship” with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota), but emphasized that Thune needs to prioritize passing the SAVE America Act.

While aboard Air Force One headed to a General Motors facility in Milford, Michigan, Trump discussed his dynamics with Thune. This came shortly after he urged Thune to end the filibuster and keep senators in Washington to facilitate the legislation.

“It’s okay. I have a good relationship with John Thune. He’s just going to do his job. We have to pass the American Rescue Act or the filibuster is over. End the filibuster and everything will happen,” Trump stated.

He added, “If we don’t end the filibuster, only bad things will happen.”

The proposed filibuster would require 60 votes to pass the SAVE America Act. The legislation aims to mandate proof of citizenship for voter registration, enforce voter ID at polling places, and significantly restrict universal mail-in voting. However, Democrats are expected to reject the bill under a filibuster, as it would not favor Republicans. Conversely, if the filibuster is bypassed, the GOP could secure its passage with a simple majority.

Since the fall, Trump has been vocal about the need for Thune and Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster, which would enable them to advance various legislative measures without needing Democratic support.

When asked if he envisions Thune as the leading Republican in the Senate, Trump responded, “I’ve never thought about that.”

During the flight, Trump reiterated his call for senators to stay in Washington until the SAVE America Act is enacted or the filibuster is lifted, a stance he previously expressed in a morning update on Truth Social.

“The SAVE Act must be implemented,” he insisted. “They shouldn’t get out of town. I’m not going to stop them, but they should implement the SAVE Act. If they don’t, it will be very bad for the party.”

“And frankly, if you look at this, the SAVE Act is going to be voted down by every Democrat. This is what we know. We have a few Republicans who won’t comment, but there are possibly four of them that we won’t get the votes from,” he noted.

Trump suggested it was “too common sense” to elaborate on the identity of the four Republican senators.