The White House’s growing frustration with Senate Majority Leader John Thune seeped into public again on Thursday, the second consecutive day team Trump has vented at the chamber’s Republican leader.
“His patience is running out,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, referring to President Donald Trump’s feelings about Thune. “He wants to see as much of the SAVE America [Act] passed as possible by the August recess.”
The White House press secretary’s rare criticism of a majority leader from the same party as a sitting president came one day after Trump complained about Thune’s job performance near the end of an event in Marietta, Ga.
During that event, Trump groaned to a friendly audience about the Senate being unable to clear a 60-vote threshold on the SAVE America bill, a package of GOP-crafted elections changes that critics say would represent an unprecedented level of federal involvement in election administration.
“Everybody call John Thune at the Senate. He’s the leader of the Republican Party. And tell them to get this stuff approved,” he told the crowd. “So we’re fighting so that all voters must show voter ID. We’re fighting so that all voters must provide proof of citizenship, OK? And also the no mail-in ballots, very important.”
