Thune Says ‘Votes Currently Aren’t There’ to Pass SAVE America Act After Trump Demand

The GOP Senate leader said that passing the measure would require removing the filibuster.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) speaks to reporters as he walks into the Senate Chamber of the U.S. Capitol in Washington on April 15, 2026. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said on Tuesday that Republicans lack the votes to remove the legislative filibuster to pass a President Donald Trump-backed bill that would require people to show photo IDs and proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections.

“The only way you can get … this done is to nuke the legislative filibuster, and that is not something that we have anywhere close to the votes to do,” Thune told Fox News on June 16, referring to the Senate passing the Save America Act.