Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., pushed back Thursday after the White House voiced frustration over the upper chamber's inability to pass the SAVE America Act, a signature election reform measure of President Donald Trump's second term.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at Thursday's briefing that Trump's patience is running out because the legislation has been stalled in the Senate after being passed in the House.

At a rally Wednesday in Marietta, Georgia, Trump implored the Senate to end the 60-vote filibuster for most legislation. He also encouraged supporters to call Thune "and tell him to get this stuff approved."

Thune bristled when asked about Leavitt's comments at a briefing with reporters. He indicated that the White House should call senators to gain support for the measure because there aren't enough votes to pass it.

"Maybe she or somebody else ought to get on the phone and get the votes. Right? It's 50 around here," Thune said, according to The Hill.

"Instead of pointing the finger at Republicans, they might think about going after the people who are stopping it on the floor, which is the Democrats. And if there are Republicans they think are gettable, get on the phone."

The SAVE America Act, which would require identification to cast a ballot and documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote, has stalled in the Senate because of the 60-vote filibuster threshold.

Republicans hold a 53-seat majority, but Thune has repeatedly said there are not enough Democrat votes to overcome the filibuster.

He has also argued that there isn't enough support among Republicans to do away with the filibuster.

"Look, the president spoke about this directly yesterday," Leavitt said in comments that aired live on Newsmax and the free Newsmax2 streaming platform.

"His patience is running out," she said. "He wants to see as much of the SAVE America Act passed as possible by the August recess. He knows that's what the American people want to see passed.

"He was just traveling on the road yesterday, spoke about this, and there was a very loud applause from the people in the audience, the everyday Americans, because voter ID is common sense.

"They want proof of citizenship in our elections. And the president feels very strongly about that. And I would just add, you know, the American people elected overwhelmingly Republicans to lead not just this White House, but also the House and the Senate."

"The House did its job. The Senate needs to do its job, too," Leavitt added.

Senate allies were quick to jump to Thune's defense.

"The leadership job is hard, right? And if any president's not getting exactly what they want, probably always gets frustrated with Congress," Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who challenged Thune for majority leader in 2024, told the Washington Examiner. "He's busting his butt. He's working hard."

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who backed Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, for majority leader, told the Examiner it was far from the first time Trump or White House officials have voiced public frustration over the Senate's inability to advance the House-passed elections bill.

"I don't think it's necessarily anything new," Hawley said. "I don't think [Trump] cares about the niceties of Senate procedure — not because he doesn't understand it, but because that's not his problem. I think he's trying to send a message."