Trump demands Thune delay Senate vacation until SAVE Act is passed after NJ revealed to have over 6000 non-citizens on voter rolls

President Trump on Monday reaffirmed his commitment to getting the SAVE Act passed by the Senate and said Senate Majority Leader John Thune should not allow the Senate to go on recess until the successful passage of the legislation.

"John Thune should not allow the United States Senate to 'leave town' until it passes the SAVE America Act or, far better still, TERMINATES THE FILIBUSTER, where Republicans can then quickly pass everything they ever dreamed of, including a full and deep-throated SAVE AMERICA ACT, the Budget, and the ever-looming Debt Ceiling disaster, 1929!" Trump said. "The Dumocrats will do it on day one, and can't believe how lucky they got with this Senate leadership. Remember, stupidity always brings LOSING DEATH! President DJT."

Later, when asked about the post during a gaggle with reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said that while he still had a good relationship with Thune, he needed to get his job done.

"I have a good relationship with John Thune. He's just got to get his job done. You have to get the SAVE America Act passed, or better than that would be the filibuster," he said. "If you terminate the filibuster, everything happens. If you don't terminate the filibuster, only bad things will happen."

President Trump was then asked if he had considered replacing Thune, to which he said he had not even thought about it. Trump also answered questions from reporters about why he urged the Senate to stay in town.

"The SAVE Act has to be done," he said. "They shouldn't leave town. I'm not going to stop them from doing it, but they should get the SAVE Act done. If they don't get it done, it will be a very bad thing for the party and, frankly... You know, if you look at it, the SAVE Act is going to be voted against by all Democrats.

"We have some Republicans that I will not comment on, a few of them, probably four, that we probably won't get their vote. I'd like to comment on them, but I have too much sense to do it."

President Trump's call to cancel the August recess until the Senate passes the legislation was echoed by Utah Senator Mike Lee. "I hereby object to any effort to put the Senate into recess in August—at least until such time as the Senate has passed the SAVE America Act—and hereby request a roll call vote. Do not assume you have my consent. You do not," Lee wrote on X.

Thune has long maintained that he could not find the votes to pass the act, much to the chagrin of the President. "Maybe she or somebody else ought to get on the phone and get the votes," Thune said at the Capitol, referring to Karoline Leavitt, who told reporters that her boss's patience was wearing thin.

"It's 50 around here," Thune added, referring to the minimum number of votes Republicans need to pass legislation. "And so, instead of pointing the finger at Republicans, they might think about going after the people who are stopping it on the floor, which is the Democrats. And if there are Republicans that they think are gettable, get on the phone. Let's get them to 'yes.'"

This comes as New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill announced that roughly 6600 non-citizens were improperly registered to vote on New Jersey's voter rolls due to software issues, The New Jersey Monitor reports. The failure, which occurred between 2023 and 2024, arrives as President Trump has been making the case for more secure elections via the SAVE Act, which would require documentary proof of citizenship and explicitly bar non-citizens from federal elections.