Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune pushed back against White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s remarks that President Donald Trump’s patience is running out over the stalled Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act.

Trump expressed growing frustration with the Senate’s delay on the legislation during a rally on Wednesday, July 23, 2026, in Georgia. The bill aims to require documented verification of U.S. citizenship for voter registration and mandates photo ID for voting in federal elections.

Leavitt told Daily Caller White House correspondent Reagan Reese on Thursday that Trump “wants to see as much of the SAVE America Act passed as possible by the August recess.”

In response, Thune said during a Capitol Hill press gaggle that the White House should focus on securing votes rather than assigning blame. “She or somebody else ought to get on the phone and get the votes, right?” he said, according to Punchbowl congressional reporter Laura Weiss.

The latest version of the legislative package includes $10 billion to encourage states to implement parts of the SAVE America Act, as reported by Politico.

After House Majority Speaker Mike Johnson suggested Congress would deliver the bill to Trump before the August recess, Thune told reporters on July 16 that this was “news to him.” He added, “I have to be the realist. I can’t make any guarantees over here,” according to Punchbowl News.

At the rally, Trump criticized the Senate’s effectiveness, stating, “The Senate is a place you send things when you want them to die. We’re not going to take this any longer, we’re not going to take it.”

Sources