Senate majority leader Thune says this is why he and Trump work well together
Exclusive: Senate Majority Leader John Tune I’m doing a tough job.
“Senate Republicans are committed to winning through President Trump’s candidate,” says Thune, a job hunter. The Senate He spoke to Fox News in an exclusive national digital interview for six weeks.
Thune was interviewed prior to Brooke Rollins’ confirmation as Agriculture Secretary, bringing the number of 16 Trump candidates approved by the Senate.
Only 11 Cabinet candidates were approved by this date in Trump’s first term at the White House eight years ago.
Senate confirms another controversial candidate for Trump’s Cabinet
Senator John Tune, Sen. South Dakota Senate Majority Leader, will speak to reporters on February 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Jaclyn Martin)
And on this date four years ago, the Senate had only confirmed seven of then-President Biden’s cabinet candidates.
Rollins’ confirmation follows two confirmations Donald Trump’s Most controversial candidate: Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is Director of National Intelligence and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Gabbard and Kennedy were confirmed in a vote near the party’s line in a room where the GOP is 53-47 majority.
“I think Senate Republicans have proven we are united,” the South Dakota Republican said.
Thune, two-year Senate veteran who served in GOP Leadership the past few years before taking over as long-standing leader Senator Mitch McConnell As a top Republican at the Chamber of Commerce, he highlighted the team’s efforts.
“What you’re trying to do is try to make the people around you better,” Thune said. “We have a lot of talent in the Senate, and we…we want to deploy and use their gifts and talents.
The senator pointed to his father, a former college athlete and coach. Extra pass.
Thune says he meets the president in person, over the phone and through texts “quite regular.”
President Donald Trump spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast held in Washington on February 6, 2025, and then the Senator John Toon (Rs.D.) and John Tune on the left, as well as the House Speaker. Talk to Mike Johnson. (AP Photo/j. Scott Apple White)
“It’s a normal pipeline,” he said. “His team was really good at working with the team here too. I think we had a very constructive work relationship and our incentives are consistent. I say that we all want to go to the same destination.”
Thune doesn’t always have a constructive relationship with the often unpredictable Trump.
Trump was critical of Tune a few years after his first term and temporarily considered supporting key agendas for Senators when he ran for reelection in 2022.
Thune said, “Like a lot of people,” he said, “they’ve had a difference from the president in the past.”
“But I think now I understand what we want to do in the course of his terminology and the opportunity to unite the government, the House, the Senate and the White House, which is rare in politics. It needs to be maximized. There must be a very constructive relationship where there is regular communication, and to do that, it has to be a very constructive relationship,” Thune emphasized.
McConnell was the only Senate Republican to vote against confirming Kennedy and Gabbard. McConnell, a child-stricken polio and a leading advocate for the vaccine, was critical of Kennedy’s famous history of vaccine skepticism.
Mitch McConnell (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
“I am a childhood polio survivor. In my lifetime, I have seen vaccines save millions of lives from catastrophic diseases in America and around the world. After Kennedy’s vote, I have seen vaccines save millions of lives from catastrophic diseases in the United States and around the world. said McConnell.
Trump, who had long criticized McConnell, has once again set his sights on him.
“I don’t know if he has polio or not. All I can talk about is that he shouldn’t have been the leader. He knows that. He votes for Bobby. He voted against almost everything. He’s a very bitter guy.” Charges.
Thune was interviewed after confirmation of Gabbard, and prior to his final vote at Kennedy, 82-year-old McConnell said “still works here and strong on issues he is passionate about, including national security.” It’s a voice.”
“So, when it comes to those issues, he has a loud voice and a voice that pays attention to us all,” Thune said. “He has opinions on some of these candidates that may not track exactly where me and other Republicans have come down, but we’ve said he’s on these, some noms. I respect the position of. In us, he is with us.
“I’ve had a lot of consultations with him over the years and over the last few months and weeks. His experience, he can help us navigate,” Thune said.
Senator John Tune, South Dakota Senate Majority Leader, will speak with reporters on February 11, 2025 after a Senate Policy Luncheon at Capitol Hill. (AP Photo/Jaclyn Martin)
He enjoys many confirmation wins this week, but Thune is realistic.
“It feels good to see how it’s going so far, but we have a really tough sled first. We know that, we bow our heads and do the work. It has to,” he warned.
Thune has juggled many tasks while confirming that Trump’s Cabinet is currently number one in the role.
“Obviously, most of our time has been moving the president’s team and checking the candidates. We’re continuing to do that, he said.
He pointed to the Rental Riley Act, and quickly passed the Senate and House of Representatives, signing the law by Trump.
The controversial measure, named after a nursing student killed by illegal immigrants while jogging on the University of Georgia campus, states that federal immigration officials will detain illegal immigrants who plead guilty to theft-related crimes. I’m requesting it to.
Thune pointed out that the law has gained bipartisan support, but added that it was “a bill that addresses election mandate, a bill that splits Democrats and United Republicans.”
He also disciplined his predecessor as New York Democrat Sen. Chuck Schumer, the leader of the Senate Majority.
Thune said during Schumer’s tenure, “The floor will be stuck. The votes will take forever. We are trying to use people’s time more efficiently and operate this place again on schedule. That’s all. I’m going to continue and go back to regular orders.”