Western South Dakota News

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune appeared on CBS' Face the Nation and NBC's Meet the Press, discussing several key issues including the confirmation of President Trump's nominees, border security, defense funding, and tax policies.

Regarding the confirmation of nominees, Thune stated: "We’re gonna do everything we can to ensure that he has the people he wants in place. I think you give great deference and latitude to a president when it comes to people he wants to put into key positions." He emphasized the importance of national security roles and affirmed that the Senate would provide a fair process for nominees.

On border security, Thune highlighted the need for changes: "[A]s we think about what those next steps are, the first thing is securing that border and making sure that we change the incentive structure so people aren’t incentivized to come here illegally." He criticized past policies and called for a "generational investment" in border infrastructure.

Thune also addressed defense capabilities, expressing concern over current funding levels: "I think we are dramatically underfunding our military today; I think the president believes that, President Trump, and I think a lot of our Republican colleagues in the House and the Senate share that view."

Discussing tax policy, Thune warned against potential increases: "[W]e intend to ensure that we don’t have a $4 trillion tax increase on the American people by December 31 of this year." He advocated for extending 2017 tax cuts as part of pro-growth strategies.

The interviews provided insight into Thune's priorities as Senate Majority Leader under President Trump's administration.