Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican known for his calm manner, displayed a rare outburst of frustration on the Senate floor. The incident occurred during a heated debate concerning the government shutdown and food aid programs.
The argument centered on a Democratic proposal to temporarily fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This program provides essential food aid to low-income families across the nation.
Thune strongly accused Democrats of prolonging the ongoing government shutdown. He emphasized that Republicans had made numerous attempts to end the impasse.
“We are 29 days into a Democrat shutdown,” Thune stated, his voice rising with emotion. He noted his party had voted 13 times to reopen the government, only to be blocked by Democratic senators.
As Democrats continued to press for an immediate vote on the SNAP funding bill, Thune’s exasperation became visibly clearer. He turned directly toward his Democratic colleagues to challenge their timing.
“You all just figured out, 29 days in, that, oh, there might be some consequences?” he remarked, slapping the lectern for emphasis. He expressed disbelief that the consequences of the shutdown were only now being acknowledged.
Thune concluded by stating the obvious yet critical point that had been reached: the government had run out of money. His uncharacteristic anger highlighted the intense pressure and deep partisan divisions of the lengthy shutdown.