The Congress Issue

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) talks to the media outside the Senate chamber before voting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on March. 3, 2025.

After nearly three decades on Capitol Hill, Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) reached the apex of his career as the new Senate majority leader and head of the Republican caucus. But he’s also reached a personal crossroads — and how he navigates it will determine his legacy and the future of the American experiment.

There’s no question that Thune is a conservative who supports President Donald Trump’s agenda, despite his previous opposition to Trump becoming the GOP nominee. But temperamentally, he’d seem to be at odds with Trump’s aggressive, norm-breaking approach to the presidency.

“In a move-fast-and-break-things era of anti-government ardor, he’s virtually a public-sector lifer, an easy-does-it institutionalist,” writes Michael Kruse in this week’s Friday Read. “The subject of nary a scandal and scant few lengthy profiles for somebody of his stature, John Randolph Thune — by upbringing, experience and disposition — is the utter antithesis of Donald John Trump.”

The question for Thune is whether he wants to be remembered as the man who tolerated Trump’s worst excesses in service of his political project, or as the institutionalist who drew a line in the sand. And so far — to the delight of MAGA skeptics and the chagrin of Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans who respect Thune — he’s choosing the first path.

“I would hope there’s a little inner turmoil,” said longtime John McCain adviser Mark Salter. “You are watching the executive branch usurp all the power and authorities given Congress under Article I,” he continued. “Maybe he thinks, ‘I’ll preserve my influence, and down the road, when something worse comes along, I’ll be able to stop him from doing it’ — but it’s going to get harder to oppose him, not easier.”

Read the story.

“WTF? @SenSchumer please grow a spine. And quickly.”

Can you guess who tweeted this at Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer? Scroll to the bottom for the answer.**

How the Media Missed the Missing Congresswoman … The first notable thing about the news that Texas Rep. Kay Granger had been living in an assisted-living facility with dementia for months was that a sitting member of Congress was unable to carry out her duties. The second notable thing was that no one had noticed. Washington probably has the highest journalist-to-everyone-else ratio of any city in the country, and yet it was a small conservative website called The Dallas Express that got the scoop. A Congresswoman vanished — and not one D.C. outlet reported it. Why? In this week’s Capital City column, Michael Schaffer digs into the story of how the media missed the story.

Wait, was something supposed to happen on Saturday? Why are all your Democratic friends mad at Chuck Schumer? No one needs to know that you missed one of the most dramatic government shutdown showdowns in history. Just use these talking points and everyone will think you were practically glued to C-SPAN this week. (From Associate Editor Dylon Jones)

Share a bit of context to telegraph that you remember how shutdown negotiations typically go — and why this time was different: “When the majority party needs votes from the other side, they used to reach out to try and make a deal. Sometimes the president himself would get involved. But the GOP didn’t even try. As POLITICO put it, ‘the White House’s posture smacks of over-confidence bordering on arrogance.’”
You won’t look like a keen White House observer unless you bring up just how ugly and personal the president got as the deadline for averting the shutdown loomed: “Trump was in a meeting with the Irish prime minister when he decided to say that Schumer, the highest ranking Jewish elected official in the country, is ‘not Jewish anymore. He’s Palestinian.’ He’d previously said Schumer is a ‘proud member of Hamas.’ Something tells me Trump didn’t exactly consult a rabbi on that one. And yeesh, must have been awkward for the prime minister. ”
Drop a detail that indicates you were refreshing Hill reporters’ Twitter pages as Democrats debated their position this week: “Did everyone see that reporters could hear Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand arguing against the shutdown through a closed door on Thursday? You’d think they’d have improved the sound-proofing at the Capitol over the last 231 years or so.”
Everyone will be talking about progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders condemning Schumer’s decision to support the Republican spending bill to avoid a shutdown. But as a sharp political observer, you’ll be able to point out that the criticism isn’t just coming from the party’s leftmost flank: “Multiple Biden advisers threw stones at Schumer as well. More importantly, so did Rep. Nancy Pelosi, one of the most effective wielders of power the party has ever seen, albeit somewhat obliquely. ‘Let’s be clear: neither is a good option for the American people,’ she posted on X, referring to the choice between the bill and a shutdown. ‘But this false choice that some are buying instead of fighting is unacceptable.’”

The 5 Most Stylish Men in Congress … Congress may be dysfunctional, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fashionable. There are a handful of members who know how to turn a look — if not how to turn a bill into law. Menswear critic Derek Guy highlights the five most stylish men in Congress, and what makes them stand out from their frumpy colleagues.

The Navy SEALs Take Congress … One group of Americans has recently achieved greater representation in Congress than ever before: Navy SEALs. There are seven Navy SEAL vets in Congress, and their ascension marks a notable shift both in the military and in politics. Compared to past veteran lawmakers, “the current generation of ex-SEALs, who mostly came of fighting age during the Gulf War and the war on terror, have eagerly embraced a more combative style of politics,” writes Ian Ward, “one that favors partisan warfare, legislative brinkmanship and an open embrace of Trump.”

D.C.’s Big-Dollar Dining Habits Exposed … When members of Congress use campaign or PAC funds to wine and dine, they have to report that spending. So Senior Data Reporter Jessica Piper crunched the numbers to find out where Democrats and Republicans like to crunch on grub — and found a feast of insights. Any guesses which party prefers steakhouses and which one likes European bistros? How about what representative spent $155,563.09 at The Capital Grille alone? Your smorgasbord of delicious D.C. dining details is served.

Congress Spills Secrets on Congress ... Last week, we got 25 members of Congress to give us their unvarnished view of insider life on the Hill — and they did not hold back. We're talking sex, drinking and dementia — which colleagues they can't stand and how they'd change the institution if given a chance. Get ready to see Congress like you've never seen it before.

From the drafting table of editorial cartoonist Matt Wuerker.

Who Dissed? Answer: That would be one of former President Joe Biden’s old advisers, Susan Rice.

politicoweekend@email.politico.com

Topics

The Congress Issue

Senate Majority Leader John Thune arrived at the apex of power just as President Donald Trump is exerting his own executive authority. Will Thune draw a line?
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