For months, President Donald Trump has fixated on one legislative priority.Now, its repeated failure may be costing Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., the president's support.Trump has badgered Republicans to pass the SAVE America Act, his missing legislative crown jewel, turning support for the bill into a loyalty test.Thune has become the target for those irritated that the bill hasn’t moved in the Senate.
For months, Trump largely spared him from criticism over the bill's stalled progress.That appears to have changed.The hairline fractures in their relationship stem from Thune doing what few Republicans are willing to do: tell Trump no.GOP RIFT GROWS AS THUNE HITS BRAKES ON TRUMP'S ELECTION BILL TO AVERT SHUTDOWNCongressional Republicans, President Donald Trump and the GOP's base want voter ID turned into law, but one barrier stands in the way: the political reality of the Senate.
(Leon Neal/Getty Images; Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)"Well, that's too bad for him," Trump said when asked about Thune not having the votes to move the SAVE America Act."I mean, that's too bad for him and too bad for the Republican Party.""He's got the votes," he continued.
"He should get it done.He should be able to get it done."And, though he’s backed him before, Trump appeared to waver in his support of Thune when asked if he was the right man for the job."Well, we're going to find out, and I'll let you know," Trump said.TRUMP THREATENS TO YANK HIS OWN AG NOMINEE AS GOP REVOLT GROWSOn his way to and from the Senate floor, Thune was pressed on Trump’s comments.
When asked about Trump wavering on him as the leader of the Senate GOP, Thune signaled it wasn’t up to him."I don’t know what you say on that," he said."That’s a decision made by my colleagues."He also pushed back on the president’s assertion that Republicans could pass the SAVE America Act."That must be a different form of math," Thune said.Thune has repeatedly argued Republicans simply don't have the...