
<p>Congress has started its annual August recess and the MAGA base has drawn its daggers of criticism out for Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota with many calling for his removal over his move to stop Trump from single-handedly making recess appointments.</p>



<p>By the end of last month, conservatives were widely sharing their anxiety over Thune’s decision to keep the Senate in session and attempt to confirm Trump’s appointees via the regular voting procedure. Many prominent conservatives on social media even called out Thune for obstructing Trump’s push to put conservatives in federal offices at the earliest.</p>



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">ð¨ Leader Thune is a SELLOUT and a FAILURE! <br><br>He will NOT cancel the August recess like Trump asked him to do. <a href="https://t.co/7Vv8WeoXhU">pic.twitter.com/7Vv8WeoXhU</a></p>&mdash; Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) <a href="https://twitter.com/GuntherEagleman/status/1950252950989017377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Thune was reportedly giving conservatives the hope that recess appointments were on the table, which means letting President Trump bypass the voting process for confirmation while the Senate is in recess and appoint his picks using his presidential authority.</p>



<p>But then Thune dropped the hammer on MAGA hopes for Trump’s potential recess appointments as he announced on Friday (August 1), holding pro-forma sessions with no business conducted on multiple dates and times throughout the month. The pro-forma sessions effectively keep the Senate in session while being in recess so that the President is not able to make recess appointments.</p>



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING &#8211; John Thune just announced he will block President Trump from making any recess appointments by keeping the Senate technically in session after tonight, stopping President Trump from filling roles while senators are away.<br> <a href="https://t.co/ZdIS0Kc4mv">pic.twitter.com/ZdIS0Kc4mv</a></p>&mdash; Right Angle News Network (@Rightanglenews) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rightanglenews/status/1951797015463236065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Thune’s announcement of holding these sessions throughout the month unleashed the brewing backlash from MAGA conservatives. <em>Raw Story</em> reported (August 3):</p>



<p><em> ;A decision by Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to schedule pro forma sessions throughout the August recess which will, in effect, stop Donald Trump from making any recess appointments, has set off a firestorm among the president&#8217;s MAGA followers.</em></p>



<p>The story cited Sean Davis of <em>The Federalist</em>, commenting that both Thune and Mike Johnson are deliberately obstructing Trump’s nominees and agenda by holding these sessions during the congressional recess.</p>



<p>Many conservatives labelled Thune as a sellout and a traitor and called for his resignation.</p>



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We the People wants Sen Thune to RESIGN! <a href="https://t.co/7PAnwEu8Md">https://t.co/7PAnwEu8Md</a></p>&mdash; RoxanneBT (@RoxanneBT) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoxanneBT/status/1951809079027826711?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Of course, there are those calling for Thune to be primaried next year so his political career is buried.</p>



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">John Thune is a worthless POS<br><br>Primary this TRAITOR! <a href="https://t.co/yqJXfGzoTX">pic.twitter.com/yqJXfGzoTX</a></p>&mdash; Wade Bell (@WadeBel07834994) <a href="https://twitter.com/WadeBel07834994/status/1951820402617115086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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MAGA Ire Hits as Senator Thune Stops Recess Appointments
