U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters alongside U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), on the day of a Senate Steering Committee Lunch on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 24, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci
President Donald Trump could face growing resistance from within his own party following Republicans’ devastating midterm election losses, according to one of the GOP’s most powerful lawmakers.
Senate Republican leader John Thune acknowledged that more members of his party may begin distancing themselves from Trump as they fight for their political survival.
“In the back half of [Trump’s] second term … there’s probably going to be more people who are maybe willing to go their own way,” Thune told Punchbowl News in an exclusive interview published Wednesday.
The South Dakota Republican made the remarks after securing another term as GOP leader despite widespread frustration within the party over its election defeats.
According to Punchbowl News, Thune expressed frustration with White House “distractions,” including Trump’s vanity projects, while acknowledging that Democrats successfully seized on concerns about corruption, which he said "resonated" with voters.
Thune also pointed to Trump’s tariffs and the war in Iran as issues that complicated Republican campaigns.
“In an environment like this, I’m not sure how much the candidates mattered. It was like you were kind of overtaken by events,” he said.
Thune acknowledged the difficulty of challenging Trump while relying on his support to help Republicans win elections.
“It was a very difficult spot to be in,” Thune said. “You do the best you can, pick your battles. But the president’s gonna be the president.”
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