Senate Leader Thune Faces Pushback From Fellow Republicans Over Trump Priorities

Senate Majority Leader John Thune finished a week of open Republican resistance to several Trump-backed measures. Four GOP senators joined Democrats to advance a resolution limiting presidential war powers in the conflict with Iran. A larger group signaled willingness to restrict or eliminate a new $1.8 billion fund tied to a Trump-Justice Department settlement.

The war-powers vote marked the first time more than a handful of Republicans have supported such a curb more than two months into the Iran conflict. The measure now heads toward a full Senate vote that could occur before the Memorial Day recess ends.

Republicans also pushed back against the lawfare fund, which would compensate individuals convicted or accused of assaulting police during the 2021 Capitol riot. Senators discussed adding restrictions or removing the fund entirely when the chamber returns to an immigration enforcement bill in June.

A scheduled vote on that bill was pulled Thursday amid the internal debate.

The clashes follow earlier tension between Thune and the president. Trump had blamed Thune for failing to secure enough votes on the SAVE America Act, a voter-ID measure that stalled over GOP objections to changes in the filibuster. Trump later endorsed state Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate primary, a move widely viewed as a signal of continued pressure on incumbents.

Thune has also expressed frustration over Trump’s public criticism of Sen. John Cornyn and Sen. Bill Cassidy. Cassidy, who lost his primary to a Trump-backed challenger, became the fourth Republican to back the Iran war-powers resolution. Cornyn told NewsNation he would evaluate future administration priorities on a case-by-case basis.

Additional friction centers on roughly $70 billion in immigration enforcement funding. Thune is expected to strip a requested $1 billion for the Secret Service, including money earmarked for a White House ballroom project, after rank-and-file resistance surfaced.

A senior GOP Senate aide said the current disputes do not signal a broader break with the president. Thune is scheduled to manage the immigration bill when senators return in early June. The outcome will test whether the recent display of independence among Senate Republicans continues or recedes.