Trump Withholds Backing for John Thune as He Demands End to Filibuster

Overview

• On Friday, President Trump said he will not back Sen. John Thune for another term as Senate majority leader and called for ending the legislative filibuster, firing the Senate parliamentarian, and immediate passage of the SAVE America Act.
• Thune announced he will hold a procedural vote on moving to a budget resolution to unlock reconciliation, a step reported likely to fail because Senate Republicans lack the 60 votes needed to change regular Senate rules.
• The SAVE America Act would impose strict voter ID and citizenship proof rules and restrict mail voting, a package that faces legal risks and was already pared back by the Senate parliamentarian in prior reconciliation efforts.
• Hardline Republicans have threatened to keep the Senate in session, use confirmation fights and other procedural pressure on leadership, while Thune and others warn prolonged failed votes would hurt vulnerable incumbents before the midterms.
• A key barrier is reconciliation’s Byrd Rule and the parliamentarian’s gatekeeping, so the next developments to watch are whether leaders abandon the filibuster, attempt rules changes that need supermajority support, or shift to a narrower, parliamentarian‑compliant bill.