Senate GOP rallies behind Thune after Trump jabs

Senate Republicans are rallying behind Senate Majority Leader John Thune after President Trump declined to back the GOP leader for a second term following the midterm election. Trump’s public jabs at Thune have sparked a wave of support among GOP senators, who say they will stand behind the leader even if Trump names a challenger. The move underscores the growing rift between Trump and his party’s top Senate officials.

Thune’s leadership matters because he controls the Senate’s agenda and the pace of legislation. The majority of Republicans in the chamber rely on him to decide which bills move forward, especially after the 2022 elections left the Senate split 50‑50. Trump’s push to remove the filibuster—a rule