House Republicans are livid with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) following a particularly “wild week,” Punchbowl News reported on Friday — with one issuing the GOP leader an ultimatum to either meet their demands or “step aside.”
Republicans faced a confluence of challenges and deadlines over the past several days in what Punchbowl described as an “absolutely brutal week as the GOP mulled extending a mass surveillance program and a funding package for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The Republican-controlled House ultimately did manage to advance a temporary extension for the mass surveillance program, as well as a package to fund DHS – albeit without funding for federal immigration enforcement agencies – but in compromised forms that left some GOP lawmakers outraged.
“John Thune asked to be the leader of the Senate but he is not leading,” said Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), speaking with Punchbowl News. “He keeps throwing up excuse after excuse. … Anyone can find an excuse. Leaders find a way. And it’s time for John Thune to do that or step aside.”
Thune, who caught the ire of Republicans in late March after working with Senate Democrats to pass a compromised version of a DHS spending bill that was later rejected, shrugged off the criticism from within his own ranks.
“‘Yeah,’ Thune responded when that was pointed out, before adding that he probably shouldn’t say more,” Punchbowl News reported.
Other GOP lawmakers expressed outrage at their own leadership as well, including Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO), who Punchbowl News described as “furious,” and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), who the outlet described as “angry.”
“So tensions are high and patience is running thin,” Punchbowl News’ report reads.