Press Releases
Thune Joins Sean Hannity on Fox News
Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) joined Sean Hannity on Fox News. On Democrats prioritizing their far-left base: “This is a big political game [to the Democrats]. This is to make a bunch of people on their far left - the people who were probably at the rally last weekend for Mamdani in New York - that’s the kind of constituency that the Democrats are appealing to right now.” […] “At some point, Schumer is probably going to have to d… Continue Reading
10.23.25
Thune Joins The Ben Shapiro Show
Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined The Ben Shapiro Show. On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “[T]his is a real losing hand for [Democrats] to play. It’s certainly costing people all over the country, big time, particularly federal employees. And the longer this thing drags on, the worse it gets … “[Democrats] don’t seem prepared to want to come to their senses and actually do the right thing for the American people, which is… Continue Reading
10.23.25
Thune Joins America’s Newsroom on Fox News
Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined America’s Newsroom on Fox News. On Democrats prioritizing their far-left base: “The Democrats continue to play political games. They are afraid, just absolutely desperately afraid, of their base and that’s why we’re in the situation we’re in. So it’s going to take five Democrats, probably not going to come out of their leadership … they’re a lost cause. I think it’s going to have to be ran… Continue Reading
10.21.25
Thune Joins The Hugh Hewitt Show
Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined The Hugh Hewitt Show. On Democrats prioritizing their far-left base: “Republicans want our troops to get paid. We want the men and women of the Border Patrol getting paid. We want TSA agents, ATC, air traffic control, every federal employee to get their paychecks … “They want - the Democrats, that is - far-left progressive activists to be less mad at them. I mean, that’s really what we’re… Continue Reading
10.21.25
Thune to Senate Democrats: Time to Stop the Political Theater and Reopen the Government
Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference at the White House with Senate Republican leadership: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “We just had a great opportunity to meet with the president and talk about something that unifies all Republicans. “Senate Republicans, House Republicans, and the president of the United States are all in favor of reopening the federal government - in fact, so much so that we’v… Continue Reading
10.20.25
Thune Joins Larry Kudlow on Fox Business
Click here to watch. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Larry Kudlow on Fox Business. On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “[Democrats] had their big … protest this weekend, got all their left-wing groups satisfied all over the country, and it seems like at least now they ought to come back to their senses and realize that shutting down the government’s not good for anybody, and I think they’re starting to feel the heat on that. “It’s just not a defensible… Continue Reading
10.17.25
Thune Joins The Briefing with Steve Scully
Click here to listen to The Briefing with Steve Scully WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined The Briefing with Steve Scully on SiriusXM radio. On Democrats’ historic obstruction: “[T]he politics around it is … largely different.” [T]he Democrats are under an enormous amount of pressure from their hard left, and they’ve got this big rally in town this weekend, and, you know, they’re just demanding that they fight, no matter what the issue is, the president,… Continue Reading
10.16.25
Thune Joins Ali Vitali on MSNBC
Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) joined Ali Vitali on MSNBC’s Way Too Early. On Democrats’ health care crisis: “I don’t think you can do … a straight-up extension of the ACA tax credits, premium tax credits, they are enhanced subsidies, so they are over and above the base Obamacare program, which was available to people up to 400 percent of poverty. “What the Democrats did a couple years ago was they took the income cap off, so now … Continue Reading
10.15.25
Thune Joins The Brian Kilmeade Show
Click here to listen to The Brian Kilmeade Show. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined The Brian Kilmeade Show on Fox Radio. On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “[Democrats have] got to vote to open up the government … this hostage-taking has to stop … They’re asking for … $1.5 trillion in new spending … [and] all kinds of … provisions in there that would allow illegals to have free health care. Those are all just non-starters, and that’s where their leadersh… Continue Reading
10.15.25
Thune: Schumer Celebrates the Government Shutdown While Families Suffer
Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Well, good afternoon. “I think the American people are wondering when the Senate Democrats are going to end their temper tantrum and vote to reopen the government. “Every day that goes by, there are more and more Americans who are getting smaller and smaller paychecks, people who work for the f… Continue Reading
10.14.25
Thune Joins Harris Faulkner on Fox News
Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Harris Faulkner on Fox News. On the Gaza peace deal: “It’s historic … it is really an epic development, Harris. You think about thousands of years of history and the warring that’s been going on in that region and more recently … the terrible attacks from a couple of years ago … “What the president has been able to achieve here is nothing short of remarkable, and he builds on the success … Continue Reading
10.10.25
Thune Joins Martha MacCallum on Fox News
Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Martha MacCallum on Fox News. On Congress’ responsibility to fund the government: “Democrats have to decide whether they want to deliver the five votes that we need to open up the government. We have … 55 out of 100 senators. The House has passed it, it’s sitting on the desk at the Senate … “[Democrats] have to think long and hard about what they’re doing, and unfortunately, the conseque… Continue Reading
10.10.25
Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 10
Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.). Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Well, good morning. “Leader Chuck Schumer may think that every day that goes by, the shutdown gets better for the political prospects of the Democrats. “But every day that it goes by, it gets a lot worse for the American people. “Now, Democrat senators might start to feel that a l… Continue Reading
10.09.25
Thune Joins Amna Nawaz on PBS NewsHour
Click here to watch. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Amna Nawaz on PBS’s NewsHour. On Congress’ responsibility to fund the government: “All we need is … five Democrats to vote with us … it’s passed in the House, president will sign it … We’ve got 55 senators currently - a majority of the United States Senate - who have voted multiple times now to open up the government.” […] “You can’t take the ... federal government hostage. This is something that … Continue Reading
10.09.25
Thune on Israel-Gaza Peace Agreement
Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, before I begin, I want to mention the very welcome news that the first phase of the historic Israel-Gaza peace plan brokered by President Trump and his administration working with allies and partners in the region has been agreed to. “This will finally mean the release of all remaining host… Continue Reading
10.09.25
Thune Joins Squawk Box, ABC News
Click here to watch Squawk Box and here to watch ABC News. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) joined Joe Kernen on CNBC’s Squawk Box and Linsey Davis on ABC News. On Congress’ responsibility to fund the government: “The only thing standing between the government being opened up again and us having a conversation about this is five Democrats coming forward and doing the right thing for the country.” […] “This is a political game for [Democrats] … I understand they’v… Continue Reading
10.07.25
Thune Joins Guy Benson on Fox News Radio
Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Guy Benson on Fox News Radio. On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “[Democrats are] voting against a clean, nonpartisan, … continuing resolution that has no policy riders, no … partisan priorities for Republicans. It’s simply a funding resolution. And in lieu of that, they have offered up this gargantuan … counter proposal … that has … $1.5 trillion in new spending, … [and] free health care f… Continue Reading
10.07.25
Thune: Americans Pay the Price for Democrats’ Government Shutdown
Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Every day that the Democrats keep the government shut down is creating more, and worse, consequences for the American people. “The White House estimates that it’s costing our economy about $15 billion a week to continue to have the government shut down. “But it’s not just our economy. “It’s Am… Continue Reading
10.06.25
Thune Joins Larry Kudlow on Fox Business
Click here to watch. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Larry Kudlow on Fox Business. On Congress’ responsibility to fund the government: “Nobody likes shutdowns. … Nobody gains from a shutdown, Larry. But the truth is, in this case, we’ve put before [Democrats] something they voted for 13 times when Biden was president and when the Democrats [had] the majority in the Senate - a short-term funding resolution to keep the government open while we consider,… Continue Reading
10.05.25
Thune Joins Maria Bartiromo on Fox News
Click here to watch. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo on Fox News. On Congress’ responsibility to fund the government: “There’s not a lot to negotiate, Maria. The Democrats just need to open up the government. Right now, we’re at a stalemate. They’ve now voted four times. We’ve given them the opportunity - a clean, nonpartisan, short-term funding resolution that continues government funding for the next seven… Continue Reading
