Press Releases
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
10.03.25
Thune: Open the Government, Open the Discussions
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. Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. “The Speaker is right. “We have an opportunity to pick up a House-passed bill that, if it passes the Senate, will be sent to the White House, the president will sign it, and the government will reopen. “It’s that simple and that straightforward, and that’s al… Continue Reading
10.02.25
Thune Joins The Hugh Hewitt Show, NBC
Click here to listen The Hugh Hewitt Show and here to watch NBC. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined The Hugh Hewitt Show and Tom Llamas on NBC. On Congress’ responsibility to fund the government: “I just don’t know how [Democrats] sustain this position … Schumer has led them … down this rat hole. And I don’t know how they get out of it right now. But … we need five of them to flip tomorrow on the vote, and we can open up the government and get back to wo… Continue Reading
10.02.25
Thune Joins Sean Hannity on Fox News
Click here to watch. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) joined Sean Hannity on Fox News. On Congress’ responsibility to fund the government: “[The continuing resolution is] clean, it’s nonpartisan, it is short-term, it has no gimmicks, we didn’t put any partisan riders on it. I mean, this is something that should be a no-brainer around here - and it’s something, by the way, that they did 13 times when Joe Biden was in the White House and the Democrats had the majorit… Continue Reading
10.01.25
Thune Joins Greta Van Susteren on Newsmax
Click here to watch WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Greta Van Susteren on Newsmax. On Congress’ responsibility to fund the government: “The other party has a decision to make: Do they want to vote to reopen the government, or don’t they? These discussions, negotiations, all the things … they want to talk about, we’re willing to do, but not until they reopen the government and quit taking the American people hostage. This is a very simple, straightforw… Continue Reading
10.01.25
Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day One
Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a bicameral press conference with congressional Republican leadership: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker and our House colleagues, for doing the work. “You sent us a clean continuing resolution. “Unfortunately, we are here this morning in a government shutdown that Democrats wanted. “Chuck Schumer, at the behest of a bunch of liberal, far-left activis… Continue Reading
09.30.25
Thune: Democrats Choose a Shutdown
Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference after Senate Democrats voted to shut down the government. Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “The Democrat caucus here in town, in the Senate, has chosen to shut down the government over a clean, nonpartisan funding bill. “That’s right - a clean, nonpartisan funding bill. “We didn’t ask Democrats to swallow any new Republican policies. “We didn’t add partisan rid… Continue Reading
09.30.25
Thune: Democrats Hold Government Funding Hostage for Radical Demands
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, everyone. “We are only hours away from a government shutdown, and the Democrats have a very clear, binary choice. “They can choose to keep the government open by voting for a short-term, nonpartisan, clean continuing resolution, 24 pages long, or they can vote to shut the … Continue Reading
09.30.25
Thune Joins Squawk Box on CNBC
Click here to watch. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Joe Kernen on CNBC’s Squawk Box. On Congress’ responsibility to fund the government: “This is something that 13 times, when [Chuck Schumer] was the majority leader, we passed short-term continuing resolutions - 13 times - and the Republicans delivered the vote for it. This is a routine thing. This is not unusual. “This is something to extend government funding until we have more time to fund or to… Continue Reading
09.29.25
Thune Joins Bret Baier on Fox News
Click here to watch. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Bret Baier on Fox News. On the bicameral meeting at the White House: “It was spirited … [Democrats have] a base that is demanding that they fight anything related to President Trump. [Democrats passed a CR] 13 times … when they had the majority … [and] Joe Biden in the White House … Well, what’s changed? Donald Trump’s the president, that’s what’s changed.” […] “There is no reason for a government… Continue Reading
09.28.25
Thune Joins Meet the Press on NBC
Click here to watch. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Kristen Welker on NBC’s Meet the Press. On Congress’ responsibility to fund the government: “This is a simple, seven-week funding resolution to allow us to do a normal appropriations process, something that Democrat senators have said that they want to see done, but something that Leader Schumer didn’t do when they had the majority. They didn’t do appropriation bills. This is new leadership. We’re t… Continue Reading
09.24.25
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 funding the government: “All we need is … a handful of Democrats to come across the aisle and vote to keep the government open. A short-term funding resolution. Short-term that would enable us to finish up the other appropriations process, something that we did 13 times when the Democrats had the majority and Biden was in the White House. We did 13 short-term conti… Continue Reading
09.24.25
Thune Joins Inside Politics on CNN
Click here to watch. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Inside Politics on CNN. On funding the government: “The Democrats’ requests are completely unhinged and unreasonable and unserious, and if they want to have a serious conversation … I’m sure the president … would be happy to do that. But at least right now, what they’re asking for to keep the government open for seven weeks is over a trillion dollars in new spending and all kinds of policy riders th… Continue Reading
09.16.25
Thune: Schumer Deploys Same Old Shutdown Script
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, everyone. “I’m sure you’re all asking the question, are we or are we not going to have a Schumer shutdown? “And it sounds like, from what he is indicating, that very well may happen. “But we are going to give them every opportunity to vote for a clean CR - something that,… Continue Reading
