John Thune Fires Back After Karoline Leavitt Warns Trump's 'Patience Is Running Out' — 'Get On The Phone And Get The Votes'

Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) pushed back at the White House after press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump's 'patience is running out' over Senate Republicans' inability to advance the SAVE America Act.

'Well maybe she or somebody else ought to get on the phone and get the votes, right?' Thune said, responding directly to Leavitt's comments and suggesting the White House help round up support for the bill.

Leavitt had told reporters Thursday that 'the president spoke about this directly yesterday. His patience is running out.' She added that 'he wants to see as much of the SAVE America Act passed as possible by the August recess.'

Trump Voices Frustration At Rally

Speaking at a Georgia rally on Wednesday, Trump expressed sharp frustration with Senate Republicans for failing to garner enough votes to move the legislation forward. He accused the chamber of stalling and urged supporters to put pressure on lawmakers.

'The Senate, what they're doing, it's just not right. It's like the Senate is where you send things you want them to die,' Trump said. 'Everybody call John Thune ... and tell him to get this stuff approved.'

The exchange underscores growing tensions between the White House and some Senate Republicans over strategy and momentum for the SAVE America Act. Thune's riposte framed the standoff as partly a matter of outreach and vote-gathering that the White House could assist with, rather than solely a Senate leadership problem.

As lawmakers and the administration spar publicly, attention will be on whether the White House increases engagement to secure holdout votes before the August recess and how senators respond to mounting public pressure.