Trump Offers to Help Thune Find 50 Votes for SAVE America Act as August Recess Nears
Updated
Updated · Roll Call · Jul 27
Trump Offers to Help Thune Find 50 Votes for SAVE America Act as August Recess Nears
3 articles · Updated · Roll Call · Jul 27
Summary
Trump said Friday he was willing to help John Thune work the phones for the SAVE America Act, easing off fresh criticism after the Senate leader challenged the White House to help secure votes.
50 votes remain the hurdle: Thune has not scheduled the elections bill before the monthlong August recess, and Trump has demanded Republicans scrap the filibuster to pass voter ID, proof-of-citizenship and mail-ballot limits.
GOP senators and strategists said Thune still has broad backing inside the conference, with allies arguing his job is to protect Senate rules and members rather than force an unattainable floor fight.
The clash echoes Trump’s first-term battles with Mitch McConnell and underscores a wider strain as parts of Trump’s second-term agenda stall and the White House declines to explicitly endorse Thune for the next Congress.