Sen. John Thune warned that President Trump’s push to force the SAVE Act through the Senate faces steep procedural and political barriers. Trump called the bill "supersedes everything else" on Truth Social and threatened to withhold his signature from other legislation until it passed. Thune said Republicans, with 53 seats, lack the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster — meaning at least seven Democrats would have to back the bill — and called the president’s plan "very hard to see" succeeding.
Sen. John Thune Delivers Reality Check On Trump's Push To Force SAVE Act Through Senate
President Donald Trump demanded Republicans initiate a filibuster to force Democrats to pass the SAVE Act / Kevin Lamarque / REUTERS
Sen. John Thune on Tuesday delivered a blunt reality check to President Donald Trump, saying the president’s effort to force the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act) through the Senate “simply does not add up.”
Trump has been publicly pressuring Congress to pass the SAVE Act — a bill that would tighten federal voting rules ahead of the midterm elections — and declared in a Truth Social post that the measure "supersedes everything else." He warned he would withhold his signature from other legislation until the bill became law and urged Republicans not to accept a "WATERED DOWN VERSION," urging them to "GO FOR THE GOLD."
Republican Senate Majority leader John Thune warned that Trump's filibuster plan won't work. / Annabelle Gordon / REUTERS
But Thune, the Senate Republican whip, told reporters the tactics the president has floated would not overcome the chamber’s procedural hurdles. Trump has suggested sweeping options, including attempting to eliminate the filibuster or relying on a so-called "talking filibuster" — a tactic in which senators speak for extended periods to slow or block proceedings.
"The votes aren’t there, one, to nuke the filibuster, and the votes aren’t there for a talking filibuster. It’s just a reality," Thune said.
Thune said he has discussed those limits directly with the president and called it "very hard to see" how Republicans could secure passage. He stressed the practical constraints of Senate rules: under current practice, most legislation requires 60 votes to advance, while Republicans hold 53 seats — meaning at least seven Democratic senators would need to support the bill to break a filibuster.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he discussed the president's filibuster plan with him and laid out the caveats. / Kylie Cooper / REUTERS
The SAVE Act would enact significant changes to federal voting procedures. Central provisions would require voters to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship and would place new restrictions on mail-in ballots. Supporters say the bill would strengthen election integrity; critics argue it could create substantial barriers for millions of legitimate voters.
The bill has already passed the Republican-controlled House, but Thune emphasized the Senate is a far steeper challenge. Even if Republicans could unify behind the measure, he noted, lawmakers would still have to agree on the procedural path to advance it and fend off amendments that could alter or unravel the legislation.
"We can’t find a piece of legislation in history that’s been passed that way," Thune added, underscoring how rare the kind of cross-party alignment the president envisions would be.
Meanwhile, the White House appears to be softening Trump’s initial ultimatum. The president had warned he would refuse to sign other measures — including funding for the Department of Homeland Security — until the SAVE Act became law. The Daily Beast and other outlets have sought comment from the White House.
Bottom line: Thune’s comments highlight the procedural and political obstacles facing a high-profile voting bill in a narrowly divided Senate, even with intense pressure from the White House.
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