Thune Joins the Today Show on NBC

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WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined the Today Show on NBC News.

On today's inauguration and his relationship with President Trump:

"Our relationship is strong. We talk regularly, and obviously we have a big job ahead of us, an agenda that we share. And so as I listen to the speech today, you know, we had the president speak to Senate Republicans yesterday morning over at the Blair House, in which he sort of laid out his agenda, talked about the things we want to do together. So, I think it will be the things that you would expect. It's going to be renewing American energy, securing the border, strengthen the economy, doing, you know, something with taxes and regulations to prevent a $4.5 trillion tax increase at the end of the year for the American people, and rebuilding our military. I mean, I think those are the priorities, and how we achieve that, of course, is something that we'll debate and discuss, but we're excited about the prospect to, you know, want to maximize this opportunity for the country."

On the Senate's role in working with the Trump administration:

"Well, so the way I look at it and you know, unified government doesn't come along very often, and sometimes doesn't last very long. You know, there's an election in two years, and you can lose the House or the Senate. So, we want to make, take full advantage and act on the agenda that we believe that the president ran on and that the American people voted for. So that's that's first and foremost. But with respect to the Senate, yes, I mean, we are, we are our own, co-equal, independent branch of the government, the Congress, that is. And we have a job to do, and advice and consent is part of it. So, we're going to take that role seriously. Our senators take that role seriously, Republican and Democrat, and we will. But we also understand that we have a job to do, and I think it was spelled out very clearly by the voters in November, the decisive mandate that was sent, and we intend to work with the president to act on it."

On the confirmation process:

"I think they all have a path to get there. Now, some haven't had their confirmation hearings yet, so I always reserve judgment until they come out of the committee because that's where they get the hard questions. And I think it's important that that process play out, and what I've guaranteed is a fair process."

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