Northeast South Dakota News

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) appeared on The Hugh Hewitt Show to discuss ongoing debates in Congress over government funding and other political issues.

During the interview, Thune addressed the need for bipartisan cooperation to keep the government open. He stated, “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 continuing resolutions to fund the government.

“That’s what this is. It’s non-partisan, bipartisan. It is clean. It is simply an opportunity to give us the chance to continue to complete the appropriations process. But the Democrats have decided to take it hostage … they have hijacked this in a way that they think advantages them politically … I don’t … think the American people are going to see it that way …

“We’ve got a bill sitting at the Senate desk, passed by the House, ready to be signed into law by the president to keep the government open, and [Democrats] want to hijack [it] to do over a trillion dollars in new spending, allow free healthcare for illegals, completely wipe out the rural hospital fund that we passed in the One Big Beautiful Bill to support our rural hospitals … It’s just the Democrat liberal wish list, and there’s no way. They’re not serious, but that’s where we are.”

Thune also commented on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s position regarding potential government shutdowns: “The radical left … just want to blow anything up that has anything to do with President Trump. It is … Trump Derangement Syndrome unlike anything we’ve ever seen before, so much so that they’re taking what I think are pretty bizarre steps, and frankly steps that I think are not smart politically for them.”

He expressed hope for bipartisan agreement: “I’m hoping that some of the Democrats over there on [Chuck Schumer’s] side of the aisle will come to their senses and realize what a bad idea [shutting down the government] is … After [Chuck Schumer] voted to keep the government open … he got blown up by the left-wing base in the country … that’s who they’re answerable to these days. It is the tail wagging the dog, and Schumer doesn’t seem to have any intention, at least at this point, of deviating from the strategy that would take us into a government shutdown. But I hope there are people around him on the Democrat side who see it differently.”

Thune criticized what he called hypocrisy among Democrats regarding shutdown politics: “The argument [Democrats] made … for those that voted to keep the government open … was that you don’t want to give Trump, basically by shutting the government down … whatever he wants to do with these government agencies, and …to let OMB make decisions about who’s essential and who isn’t… I think they think it is politically advantageous to them right now, and a benefit to their political fortunes, which are frankly in the tank at the moment. And they see this as an opportunity to be grabbed. But I think they’re wrong, and I think people are going disagree with that.”

On Senate procedures related specifically to nominations and confirmations of federal officials, Thune said: “What Democrats had done is broken [the confirmation process] beyond repair… We’ve got a whole new slate of nominees for a lot of these positions that we’re going take up next but I’m glad we’re able get started,and grateful we had team all on board for doing what needed be done.”

Addressing concerns about political violence following recent events targeting politicians or public figures associated with President Trump or others in national politics Thune said,“It’s hard fathom…where country headed where all rhetoric directed at President Trump others obviously radicalizing certain people.And they're resorting political violence.It’s really unfortunate,it tragic,I think speaks need change reform among lot political leaders some Democrat left country who seem generating kind emotion leads these really tragic shootings.”