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Daily Archives: July 22nd, 2026

John Thune casts aside ‘Trump’s whims’ as ‘GOP bickering’ rattles party: report


Alexander Willis

July 22, 2026 8:41AM ET I had to add this article to show how screwed up the legislature is and Trumpelstilskin’s hold on them affects their work! MA

John Thune casts aside 'Trump's whims' as 'GOP bickering' rattles party: report

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with the press while walking with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), to the Senate Republican Steering Committee lunch at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 24, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has been forced to cast aside President Donald Trump’s “whims” amid a “formidable” dilemma facing Congressional Republicans this week, a week that serves as one of the party’s “last” chances to advance the White House’s agenda, Punchbowl News reported Wednesday.

Under the leadership of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), House Republicans are pushing to advance a reconciliation package that includes $60 billion for the Pentagon to help cover costs of the deeply unpopular U.S. war against Iran. The House will adjourn for a five-week recess on Thursday, giving House lawmakers a short window of opportunity to advance the legislation.

On Tuesday, however, Thune spoiled Johnson’s plans by declaring he “wouldn’t advance” the reconciliation package – scheduled for a House vote on Wednesday – until the Senate finds a path toward advancing a broader government funding bill for next fiscal year, Punchbowl News reported.

“Let’s be clear about how disastrous it would be to jam through a [continuing resolution] via reconciliation,” Punchbowl News’ report reads. “It means Democrats could force an unlimited number of amendment votes at a simple-majority threshold on pretty much any topic.”

“Thune is looking to protect his vulnerable senators from yet another vote-a-rama. As he finds himself increasingly at odds with Trump, Thune is looking out for his Senate majority – not Trump’s whims.”

Further complicating matters is the SAVE Act, Trump’s controversial voter ID bill. While the House has passed the SAVE Act multiple times, Thune has repeatedly stated that the bill lacks enough support to advance in the Senate.

“Senate Republicans are skeptical they can get any of the SAVE Act included in the reconciliation bill,” Punchbowl News’ report reads. “That will cause major problems with House Republicans.”

The report emphasizes the widening rift between two powerful GOP leaders.

“We’re seeing once again the massive gulf between Johnson and Thune,” it states. “The two top Republicans seem to have different motivations at the moment and are handling their jobs very differently.”

What Will It Take??


We have forgotten or ignored the phrase: “Lest WE Forget”. The indications and actual statements has given us clues as to what FFLOTUS was going to do in a second term. We have an opportunity to compare the first term to the Biden term as well as the accelerated actions of FFLOTUS’s second term (which is only a few months old). The speed of actions (Executive actions) and the unresearched content or effect is a wakeup call, or IT SHOULD BE! The so called “red” states” and their representatives to Congress are oddly quiet while the changes, tariffs and cuts to the Government workforce which will affect all states with a federal government office in its cities. What is affected by cuts and tariffs? Tariffs are Taxes pure and simple no matter what anyone says. Downsizing government offices staff will slow processes needed to continue the Governments work. The hardest hit will be the least able to afford even the smallest cut in their incomes. Then there’s the illegal war with Iran! Trumpel started this war as an affront to Biden and Obama and perhaps to enrich himself and his cronies. The current Congress (GOP) has all but given up the legislative responsibility it has to enact war powers and control spending. The most wasteful administration in decades is spending wildly with only a few comments from Congress. As a taxpayer, I see the erosion of public trust and the decimation of the national ability to function in a normal fashion. Now more tariffs are proposed on Canadian goods on top of what already exists. This administration has stolen more funds from the people than any criminal organization in history. We are essentially in a “Nero fiddles while Rome burns” situation. The way out is an all-out voter revolt where the people speak out in the voting booth!