President Donald Trump defended Senate Majority Leader John Thune after attendees at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas booed the South Dakota Republican when Trump mentioned his name during his remarks Wednesday night. Video from the event showed the crowd reacting negatively as Trump referenced Thune. Newsweek National Political Correspondent Alex Rouhandeh, who is in attendance, highlighted that at the mention of Thune’s name, the convention hall erupted in boos, reverberating across the various state delegations.
The boos were so loud, it was hard to tell whether Thune’s native South Dakota had cheered for him. Eventually, following Trump’s defense, the booing died down. Midterm elections are commonly viewed as a test of the political environment facing the party in power, and the president's party has historically lost seats during midterm elections.
Republicans currently hold a narrow majority in the House and Senate. Amid the wave of boos, Trump said, "No, no, John is working hard. He's got great opposition... from the Democrat Schumer and these guys, they're terrible.
He's got great opposition; he's working very hard. He's going to have great success; you watch." "By the way, we've got great Republican Senators," Trump later added. Newsweek reached out to Thune's office via email on Wednesday night for additional information.
Trump has at times publicly pressured Thune over his handling of the Senate, particularly over the president's push for the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and identification at the ballot box. Trump earlier this summer urged Thune to keep the Senate in session until Republicans can pass the legislation, while Thune has said Republicans do not currently have enough votes to advance it. The reaction from the convention crowd highlights the pressure Thune faces from Trump's most loyal supporters as he attempts to lead the Senate Republican Conference.
Thune has generally worked with the White House on Trump's agenda, but his approach to the Senate has occasionally put him at odds with members of the party's conservative wing. The episode also underscores Trump's central role at the first-ever Republican midterm convention, where the president has sought to make the 2026 elections a referendum on his administration despite not appearing on the ballot. The two-day Dallas event has been heavily focused on Trump as the GOP works to energize its base ahead of November's midterm elections.
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