Senator John Thune told Politico he and former President Donald Trump "get along," but he acknowledged Trump has expressed frustration that the Senate has not eliminated the filibuster or passed the SAVE America Act. Thune said he lacks the votes to meet those demands and noted Trump's influence in recent Republican primaries. Trump stopped short of fully endorsing Thune as Senate GOP leader, and Thune later joked that finding someone else for the job "might be a big relief."
Thune Says He and Trump 'Get Along' — But Tensions Remain Over Filibuster and SAVE Act
In a Wednesday interview with Politico, Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) described his working relationship with former President Donald Trump as cordial, even as Trump has grown frustrated with the Senate's reluctance to advance some of his top priorities.
What Thune Said
Thune acknowledged the tension directly, saying Trump sometimes views him as an obstacle to the president's agenda. "He gets obviously frustrated with me because he sees me as the person that's the impediment to some of the things he wants to get done," Thune told Politico.
"Math is math; arithmetic is arithmetic," Thune added, emphasizing that he does not have the votes to eliminate the filibuster or to pass the SAVE America Act. He also pointed to the "active role" Trump played in recent Republican primaries, which helped shape the current Senate GOP caucus.
Trump's Response And The Political Context
When asked whether he views Thune as the best leader for the Senate GOP caucus, Trump declined to offer a full endorsement: "Well, we're going to find out, and I'll let you know," he told reporters. Later, Thune quipped that if Trump "could find somebody else to do this job, it might be a big relief," underscoring a pragmatic — if sometimes strained — dynamic between the two.
The exchange highlights a familiar tension in Washington: personal cordiality between senior figures can coexist with sharp disagreements over strategy and authority, especially on high-stakes items such as changing Senate rules or passing high-profile legislation.
Why It Matters
Thune's comments are a reminder that simple appeals from a party leader or former president do not always translate into Senate majorities. The filibuster remains a significant procedural barrier, and even widely discussed bills like the SAVE America Act face practical vote-counting realities.
Bottom line: Thune and Trump maintain a working relationship, but disagreements over legislative strategy — and the limits of Thune's ability to marshal votes — keep that relationship from being an unqualified alignment.
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