Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., told Newsmax on Wednesday that Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., should remove Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, arguing she has blocked Republican priorities under the budget reconciliation process.
Earlier Wednesday, President Donald Trump called on Thune to remove MacDonough, writing in a post on Truth Social, "Majority Leader John Thune has the right to do it, immediately. FIRE THE PARLIAMENTARIAN NOW!"
"Yes, 1,000%. That should happen," Steube told "Bianca Across the Nation" when asked whether MacDonough, who advises senators on the chamber's rules and determines whether provisions comply with the Byrd Rule governing reconciliation bills, should be fired.
"I've been calling on Sen. Thune to do that since like October of last year."
Steube criticized MacDonough for removing what he described as conservative provisions from Republicans' "big, beautiful bill," saying she had done so based on policy considerations.
"She was appointed by Harry Reid decades ago," Steube said.
"Thune has the absolute authority to remove her and replace her with somebody else. He should have done it right when he took office."
MacDonough was appointed Senate parliamentarian in 2012 by then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
The parliamentarian serves as the Senate's chief adviser on procedural matters and interprets the chamber's rules, although the presiding officer and senators retain the authority to overrule the parliamentarian's advice.
Republicans have increasingly criticized MacDonough after she ruled that several provisions sought by the GOP could not be included in legislation being advanced through the budget reconciliation process because they did not comply with Senate rules.
Reconciliation allows certain budget-related legislation to pass the Senate with a simple majority rather than the 60 votes typically needed to overcome a filibuster.
Steube argued the parliamentarian's rulings have slowed the Republican agenda despite the party controlling the Senate.
"And it's stalling a lot of the things that we as Republicans are trying to do through reconciliation by having a Democrat parliamentarian — one person who's not elected who gets to decide what policy stays in a bill or gets taken out of a bill," he said.
Thune has not indicated that he intends to replace MacDonough. Previous Senate leaders of both parties have generally retained parliamentarians across changes in party control, though the position serves at the pleasure of the Senate and can be replaced by the majority leader.
The debate over MacDonough's role comes as Republicans continue to rely on reconciliation to advance key legislative priorities while navigating the Senate's procedural rules.
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