Trump Demands John Thune Fire Senate Parliamentarian Over Voter Law

Donald Trump demanded that Senate Majority Leader John Thune immediately fire Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough after she ruled that portions of the SAVE America Act did not comply with the Byrd Rule. This ruling prevented the legislation, which would mandate documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration and photo identification for federal elections, from passing via a simple-majority budget reconciliation process.

Despite Republican control of the White House and Congress, the measure failed in the Senate in early June 2026. Efforts by Senators Lindsey Graham and Mike Lee to waive the parliamentarian's objections failed to reach the 60-vote threshold, as four Republicans—Susan Collins, Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski, and Thom Tillis—voted against the motion. Senator Josh Hawley expressed frustration over the defeat, while critics argued the bill would create barriers for qualified citizens and encroach on state election authority.

President Trump characterized MacDonough as a radical leftist who obstructs Republican priorities and criticized Mitch McConnell for retaining her in the role after 2014. John Thune rejected the president's demands, defending the parliamentarian as a fair referee and suggesting that removing her could destabilize the Senate's operational fabric.