Exclusive | John Thune tells The Post about potential breakthrough on SAVE America Act led by Lindsey Graham

WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader John Thune told The Post that Republicans may finally have a viable strategy to pass the SAVE America Act and speculated on the breakthrough Sen.Lindsey Graham told President Trump about before his death.Trump claimed on “Meet the Press” on Sunday that during his final phone call with Graham (R-SC), the late senator told him, “We’re all set for the SAVE America Act,” but the president didn’t specify how.Republicans have repeatedly tried to jam the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to vote and other election reforms, through the Senate, but have consistently failed due to a Democratic filibuster.

The SAVE America Act is Trump’s top legislative priority this year.“Perhaps what Lindsey was talking to the president about — I don’t know this for a fact — [was] whether or not there was an option for reconciliation, and there is a way in which I think you could [do that],” Thune (R-SD) explained to The Post in an interview.Thune stressed that Republicans don’t even have “close” to the votes needed to nuke the filibuster, which requires a 60-vote threshold to overcome.

And he contended there was no way of getting Democrats on board.In the past, Republicans have skirted around the filibuster using the budget reconciliation process, which is subject to complex rules and must impact the budget, to pass legislation such as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.Many senators had long cast doubt on the possibility of using reconciliation to advance the SAVE America Act because it doesn’t inherently impact the budget.

But Republicans planned on attempting another reconciliation bill to beef up defense spending anyway.“It’s got to be principally budgetary, not policy-oriented.And if the budgetary impact is incidental to the policy impact, then you know it’s usually ruled a violation,” Thune said, alluding to the Senate Parliamentarian.

“I’m not denying there’s some level of s...