Thune says only way to pass SAVE Act is by nuking filibuster: 'The votes aren't there'

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said that the votes aren't there to pass the SAVE Act, core legislation that has been advanced by President Donald Trump during his second term. He said the only way for it to pass would be to nuke the filibuster, however, he added that there is not enough support for that in the Senate. 

Fox News's Brett Baier questioned Thune on why the SAVE America Act has not found success in the Senate and asked him what he had to say about President Trump's frustrations regarding the voter reform bill's lack of progress. Baier read the president's Truth Social post to Thune and challenged him on the math.

“A few Dumocrats are against FISA, with or without Bill Pulte going to DNI, as Acting. What kind of deal is that? Besides, I’m against FISA if it doesn’t come with the SAVE America Act (full version!) firmly attached to it.”

“What do you say to the president on that?” Baier asked Thune.

"The only way you can get this done is to nuke the legislative filibuster. And this is not something that we have anywhere close to the votes to do. So we have had votes... We will continue to put the Democrats on record. The Democrats are voting against an issue that 80 to 85% of the American people are for."

Thune added that the Senate GOP is doing "everything" they can to pass the bill. "It is a function of math ... the votes currently aren't there."

The South Dakota senator then argued that if the legislation was attached to FISA (the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act), it would tank the 1978 law, raising possible national security concerns.

The Chip Roy-sponsored SAVE America Act has had a difficult path in the Senate. First introduced in 2024, the legislation has repeatedly passed the House but has consistently stalled in the upper chamber, where Democratic opposition and the 60-vote filibuster threshold have prevented it from advancing. Most recently, an expanded version of the bill passed the House in June 2026 but failed to clear a Senate procedural vote, leaving the measure short of the support needed to move forward.

The exchange underscores the challenges facing Republican leaders as they attempt to advance one of Trump's top election priorities. With Democrats united in opposition and the filibuster remaining intact, the bill's prospects in the Senate remain uncertain despite continued support from the president and House Republicans.