Exclusive: Senate majority leader John Toon is doing a tough job.
“Senate Republicans are committed to getting presidential candidates through President Trump’s candidate,” said Thune, who has been operating the Senate for six weeks, to Fox News domestic monopoly. He spoke in a digital interview.
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, South Dakota Senate Majority Leader, will speak to reporters on February 11, 2025 (AP Photo/Jacqueline Martin)
And on this date four years ago, the Senate had only confirmed seven of then-President Biden’s cabinet candidates.
Rollins confirmation follows confirmation of two of Donald Trump’s two most controversial candidates. Former MP Tulsi Gabbard is the Director of the National Intelligence, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the 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, a two-year Senate veteran who took over as Senator Senator Mitch McConnell, a longtime leader, highlighted the team’s efforts.
Heading here for the latest Fox News coverage at the White House 100 days before President Trump’s first
“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. [to] Do what you need to do here. ”
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, before Senate majority John Toon, Rs.D., R.D. I’ll talk to Chairman Mike Johnson. .
“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.”
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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. Just keep doing that and go back to regular orders.”
Paul Steinhauser is a political reporter based in New Hampshire.
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