Senate Leader Thune Missing from GOP Convention as Tensions with Trump Emerge

POLICY WIRE — Dallas, United States — Senate Majority Leader John Thune is not scheduled to speak at this week’s Republican National Convention in Dallas, sparking speculation about growing tensions...

Editorial Desk

September 7, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Dallas, United States — Senate Majority Leader John Thune is not scheduled to speak at this week’s Republican National Convention in Dallas, sparking speculation about growing tensions with former President Donald Trump. The event also features a critical Senate race in Texas.

Thune, who has been at odds with Trump over policy and campaign strategy, will attend the two-day gathering but will not address the audience of Trump supporters. This exclusion follows months of conflict, including Trump’s refusal to endorse Thune’s preferred candidate in the Texas Senate primary.

Trump has criticized Thune for opposing the SAVE America Act and the legislative filibuster, and in a recent interview, he suggested that Thune might be the last Republican Senate leader if he doesn’t act quickly. Despite the tension, Thune is set to attend a fundraiser for Ken Paxton, the embattled Texas attorney general and potential Senate candidate.

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Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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