U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) appeared on America’s Newsroom on Fox News on Apr. 2 to discuss recent developments in Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding and U.S. policy toward Iran.
Thune addressed the ongoing debate over government funding, specifically criticizing Democrats for their stance regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). “For Democrats … it was all about ‘reforms,’ restrictions on ICE and on CBP agents and what they could or couldn’t do. They got none of that. They got zero of the reforms that they were advocating for. In the end, this was all about their left-wing base demanding that no funding be provided,” Thune said during the interview.
He explained that advance planning last summer ensured continued support for ICE and CBP through the end of the fiscal year, stating, “The good news for us is we saw this coming, and we pre-funded this last summer, so ICE and CBP are funded and will be funded to the end of the fiscal year.” He added that other agencies under DHS—including TSA, Coast Guard, CISA, and FEMA—currently lack full funding due to what he described as Democratic opposition: “We had to get funding to open those up because the Democrats shut down funding for the entire Department of Homeland Security because they didn’t want to fund law enforcement.”
Thune also discussed foreign policy issues concerning Iran. He said reopening shipping lanes would help stabilize gas prices: “Opening up the strait is going to be a key part of [lowering gas prices]. The president’s made it very clear, whether that happens the hard way or the easy way, it will happen.” He called recent presidential actions an important step in addressing both nuclear threats from Iran as well as global security concerns.
Thune has held leadership roles such as Senate majority leader as well as Republican whip and conference chairman according to his official website. He has served on several Senate committees including Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Commerce, Science and Transportation; and Finance according to his official website. Raised in Murdo, South Dakota after being inspired by a congressman at a young age according to his official website, Thune earned degrees from Biola University (bachelor’s) and University of South Dakota (MBA) according to his official website.
He lives in Sioux Falls with his wife Kimberley; together they have two daughters and six grandchildren according to his official website. Thune won historic elections including defeating a sitting party leader while running campaigns based on term limits according to his official website.
