President Donald Trump called on Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) on Friday to pass a House-passed budget resolution before the August recess, pressuring Senate leadership to advance a $95 billion funding package that includes money for military operations in Iran.
“I am asking that the Senate adopt a Budget Resolution, which can pass with a simple Majority, before leaving for the August recess. We are ready to work side-by-side with the Senate to get this done for the American People!” Trump posted Friday afternoon on Truth Social.
The public request follows remarks Trump made earlier in the week at a rally in Georgia, where he stated that “the Senate is a place you send things when you want them to die.”
The House-passed measure allocates $73 billion for the Pentagon and intelligence agencies, $12 billion for agricultural support, and $10 billion for election-related reforms. Passing a joint budget resolution unlocks the budget reconciliation process, allowing the Republican majority to pass related legislation with 51 votes rather than the 60-vote threshold needed to clear a Senate filibuster.
Thune stated on Thursday that the measure currently lacks the necessary support to clear the chamber.
“As I’ve said before, you got to get to 50, and I can’t count to 50 right now on a budget resolution,” Thune told reporters. “We’ll see. We’ll have those conversations with the conference. The priority is funding the government. To me, that’s the thing we got to keep our eyes on.”
The disagreement over the timeline comes alongside broader exchanges between the White House and Senate leadership. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated Thursday that Trump’s “patience is running out” with Thune, adding that “the Senate needs to do its job.”
Thune responded to the press secretary’s comments later that day.
“Maybe she or somebody else ought to get on the phone and get the votes. Right? It’s 50 around here,” Thune said. “Instead of pointing the finger at Republicans, they might think about going after the people who are stopping it on the floor, which is the Democrats. And if there are Republicans they think are gettable, get on the phone.”
Thune previously indicated on Tuesday that he plans to hold the House budget framework in the Senate to serve as a potential vehicle for a temporary government funding measure in September.
Within the Republican conference, lawmakers remain divided on key aspects of the package. Some senators are seeking spending cuts to offset the $95 billion cost. Additionally, efforts to include the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act—which requires proof of citizenship for voter registration and photo identification to vote—face procedural hurdles. Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled that the voting measure does not meet the technical requirements to pass under reconciliation rules with a simple majority.
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