
Thune stuck between Trump's demands, members' recess plans
Why it matters: For senators, the summer recess is next to holy. For the president, confirming his nominees is simply more important.
"We're thinking about it," Thune told Axios on Monday about Trump's call to cancel all — or part — of the August break.
"We want to get as many noms through the pipeline as we can," he said.
But still, August is August.
"People are accustomed to going back," Thune said. "This is the time of year when they go back and interact with their constituents and talk about some of the things that we've gotten done."
"I do not believe we need to cancel the August recess," Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) said Monday. "Please wipe that suggestion off of your DNA."
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) vehemently defended the extended break: "You get us for the rest of the year back here, but there's got to be some time when we can actually be addressing the needs of our constituents back home."
Driving the news: After Trump's weekend post on Truth Social, leadership has made clear to senators that fiddling with the August recess is on the table.
Thune has talked to Trump about the president's goals and told reporters he met with the president on Monday.
The intrigue: If Thune moves forward with August votes, there is always the risk of attendance challenges.
The Senate requires a minimum of 51 senators for a quorum— and it only takes one Democrat to force a quorum call.
With just a three-seat margin, Republicans are "only as strong as our four weakest links," as one senior aide put it.
What we're hearing: The Senate is buzzing about what Thune will do, according to conversations with senators and staffers.
Senators are likely to put on a brave face and say publicly that they are willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish Trump's agenda.
But trust us, both sides want to go home.
It's more than a vacation from D.C.: Many pack their schedules with official international travel and fundraisers. They also know they need to sell Trump's "big, beautiful bill" to constituents who aren't convinced of its merits.
Zoom in: The Senate's schedule has already been relatively brutal — fewer and shorter recess weeks than usual, late-night votes, occasional working Fridays, four all-nighter vote-a-ramas, and 94 confirmed administration officials.
With Republicans relying on party-line votes to move forward, Democrats' only leverage has been to make progress as miserable as possible.
Trump is "the first president in history that hasn't had a nom adopted by this point in his presidency either by unanimous consent or voice — not a single one," Thune told reporters on Monday.
What we're watching: A threat of canceling August recess could also be a negotiation tool to convince Democrats to give them a break on lower-level nominees who ordinarily would have an easier time getting confirmed.

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The Hill
2 minutes ago
- The Hill
Trump's new model to support Ukraine is a win-win
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While this reorientation marks a significant change, it is far from the worst-case scenario for Ukraine. Instead, it represents a pragmatic and potentially more sustainable evolution of transatlantic burden-sharing, securing critical capabilities for Ukraine while invigorating the U.S. defense industrial base and recalibrating the nature of allied support. Support is still 'as long as it takes' but also 'at the others' expense.' This marks a departure from the traditional post-World War II donor-recipient model, particularly within the NATO alliance, towards a more transactional 'America First' approach. Future U.S. engagement in global security will likely be contingent upon tangible economic benefits and direct cost-sharing from allies. Such a shift could lead to a more predictable, albeit less altruistic, framework for security cooperation, where allies are compelled to demonstrate their commitment through direct financial contributions. This policy reorientation accelerates European strategic autonomy. While the immediate effect is Europe paying for U.S. weapons, the long-term implication is a forced impetus for greater European defense integration and self-sufficiency. European nations have already been increasing their defense spending and proactively planning for a future with less guaranteed U.S. aid. This new model, by making U.S. weapons available for purchase, encourages Europe to develop its own robust procurement mechanisms and potentially expand its own defense industrial base. Ukraine's most pressing and enduring need remains robust air defense against Russia's escalating missile and drone attacks. The U.S.-made Patriot air-defense system is critical, as it is one of the few systems capable of intercepting high-speed ballistic missiles. These systems are vital for protecting civilian infrastructure and population centers, which have been subjected to relentless Russian bombardment. A critical strategic reality for Ukraine is that not all American weapons are equally replaceable by European alternatives. While Europe is ramping up its own artillery production, the Patriot system's unique counter-ballistic missile capability makes it a requirement that only the U.S. can provide at scale. Europe, at the same time, has demonstrated a clear willingness and increasing capacity to shoulder a greater share of the burden. The European Union has already provided €165 billion in financial assistance and has launched an €800 billion Defense Readiness Plan. Frozen Russian sovereign assets may be used to finance what Ukraine needs. The shift to a foreign military sales model is explicitly intended to invigorate the U.S. defense industrial base. By integrating 'exportability features' into defense systems during the design phase, the U.S. seeks to advance its competitiveness abroad and potentially lower unit costs for both America and its allies. While the foreign military sales process has historically been slow and plagued by delivery backlogs, the new model offers a potential solution. Consistent, large-scale orders from European allies could provide the long-term contract certainty that the U.S. defense industry requires to invest significantly in surge capacity and overcome challenges. This transforms what was previously a 'drain' on American stockpiles, requiring replenishment at taxpayer expense, into a sustained stimulus for U.S. manufacturing, aligning with 'America First' economic principles. This shift is not merely about burden-sharing; it is about recapitalizing and modernizing the U.S. defense industrial base. While immediate fixes for current shortages remain challenging, this strategic reorientation creates a more sustainable industrial ecosystem. Trump's recent rhetoric marks a notable change from his earlier stance, which often appeared conciliatory toward Vladimir Putin. He has recognized that Russia, not Ukraine, is the core problem in negotiations, even threatening tariffs and sanctions on Russia and its trading partners if a peace deal is not reached within 50 days. The reality that Putin is not amenable to a quick 'deal' is now clear. There is now a crucial political opening for continued support to Ukraine, even if the funding mechanism changes. The narrative that Trump desires Ukraine's fall has been refuted. Instead, Trump is committed to ending the war on terms that align with his administration's interests. This represents a significant psychological advantage for Ukraine, as it lessens the fear of a complete U.S. abandonment.


The Hill
2 minutes ago
- The Hill
Columbia to pay $221M to restore funding cut by Trump administration
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Newsweek
3 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Pam Bondi Handed Epstein Files Road Map—'Follow the Money'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Senator Ron Wyden, the most senior Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, has written to Attorney General Pam Bondi urging her to "follow the money" and launch a fresh investigation into the financial affairs of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein using Treasury Department documents. In his letter sent on Monday, Wyden said the Department of Justice (DOJ) "failed to conduct a real investigation into the funding of Epstein's sex trafficking operation" and accused four major banks of processing "billions in suspicious transactions that flowed through Epstein's accounts" that were not flagged to the Treasury until after the financier's suicide in August 2019. Newsweek contacted Senator Wyden and the DOJ for comment on Thursday via email and online inquiry form respectively outside of regular office hours. Why It Matters Earlier this month the DOJ and the FBI released a joint statement insisting Epstein "died by suicide" and had "no incriminating 'client list.'" The move sparked a furious reaction from a section of President Donald Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) base, which has long believed Epstein was murdered to cover up the participation of prominent figures in sexual abuse. Wyden's letter shows the Trump administration will continue to face intense pressure to further investigate the Epstein case, or release documents it has concerning this, despite its apparent efforts to close down the subject. What To Know Addressing Attorney General Bondi in his letter Wyden said he was "convinced that the DOG ignored evidence found in the U.S. Treasury Department's Epstein file," which he said "contains extensive details on the mountains of cash Epstein received from prominent business owners that Epstein used to finance his criminal network." In response to what he termed "the DOJ's lack of thoroughness" Wyden provided Bondi with "a road map with a list of 'follow the money' leads on Jeffrey Epstein." Wyden noted the Senate Finance Committee on February 14 2024 reviewed "thousands of page[s] of Treasury Department files documenting the flow of money in and out of Jeffrey Epstein's accounts" which he concluded "contains significant information on the sources of funding behind Epstein's sex trafficking activities." He said this included documents showing more than 4,725 wire transfers involving Epstein's accounts from 2003 to 2019 totaling $1.08 billion. Pam Bondi, U.S. Attorney General, during a press conference at Port Everglades on April 09, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (left) and the 2019 mug shot of Jeffrey Epstein (right). Pam Bondi, U.S. Attorney General, during a press conference at Port Everglades on April 09, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (left) and the 2019 mug shot of Jeffrey Epstein (right). Joe Raedle/Kypros/GETTY In his seven-point action plan Wyden said Bondi should "direct DOJ prosecutors and FBI agents to immediately investigate the evidence contained in the Treasury Department records on Epstein" including alleged payments of several hundred million dollars to Epstein from "ultra-wealthy Wall Street financiers." He also said the DOJ should subpoena internal records related by Epstein held by major Western banks. Another of Wyden's points urged the DOG to investigate payments of "hundreds of millions of dollars" via Russian banks that "were correlated to the movement of women or girls around the world." He also called on the department to subpoena documents from the U.S. Virgin Islands regarding a deal giving one of Epstein's associates immunity from prosecution in 2023. Wyden also said several major banks "likely broke the law" by only flagging suspect payments involving Epstein after he had been criminally charged, despite this being a requirement of federal anti-money laundering legislation. Finally Wyden urged the DOJ to "conduct depositions with bankers responsible for overseeing large accounts transacting with Jeffrey Epstein." On Wednesday The Wall Street Journal reported that in May Trump was informed that his name appeared "multiple times" in Epstein documents possessed by the DOJ by Bondi. White House communications director Steven Cheung described the report as "another fake news story." What People Are Saying In his letter Wyden said: "Epstein clearly had access to enormous financing to operate his sex trafficking network, and the details on how he got the cash to pay for it are sitting in a Treasury Department filing cabinet." In their joint statement earlier this month the FBI and DOJ said its "systematic review" of Epstein related files "revealed no incriminating 'client list.'" They added: "There was also no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions. We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties." What Happens Next Trump is likely to face further pressure to release more documents related to the Epstein case from both congressional Democrats and a section of his own MAGA base. On Tuesday House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, adjourned the lower chamber till September in a move that blocks any imminent vote on releasing the Epstein files.