Senate Majority Leader John Thune is pushing back on President Donald Trump's call to cancel the Senate's five-week August recess to debate the SAVE America Act. Thune says he's open to the idea—but only if there's a realistic chance of actually passing something, not just holding votes for the sake of holding votes.

"If I thought there was a path for getting a result, I'm all for it. I'm a cosponsor of the SAVE Act. We voted on it two, three, four, five times already. We had it up on the floor for an extended period of time," Thune told reporters on Monday. "Show me how this ends. What's the picture of victory at the end?"

Thune also pointed out that Republican senators in competitive races need to be back home campaigning to help maintain the party's Senate majority—especially with midterm headwinds on the horizon.

Several Republican senators, including Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.), have said they'll oppose the August recess unless the SAVE Act passes. But their objections can be overridden if 60 senators vote to adjourn. So far, the legislation has zero Democratic support, and a few Republicans—including Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)—have also voted against it.

Trump Pushes Senate on SAVE Act Vote

On Monday, President Trump urged Thune to keep the Senate in session during August to push debate and votes on the SAVE America Act, which would need 60 votes to pass. Earlier this month, Trump also refused to sign the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act in protest over the Senate's failure to pass the SAVE Act.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) warned that blocking Senate business could do more than waste time—it could create political backlash for Republicans just months before the midterm elections.

Trump, conservative activists, and their allies face opposition from a quieter group of Senate Republicans who support the SAVE Act but oppose ending the filibuster. They're reluctant to publicly reveal their stance due to potential backlash from the party base.