Thune says Senate Republicans have a deal to pass Trump megabill

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters Tuesday morning that he thinks he has a deal with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) to pass President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” — but also cautioned he’s a “realist,” indicating that he’s not counting anything as finished until the final vote is cast.

Asked if he had a deal as he walked from the Senate floor to his office, Thune replied: “I believe we do.”

“But, like I said, I’m of Scandinavian heritage, so I’m always a bit of a realist. We’ll see what happens,” he said.

Thune’s body language appeared significantly more relaxed after he and Murkowski reviewed a sheet of legislative text on the Senate floor while Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) hovered nearby.

A person familiar with the floor conversations said that the Senate parliamentarian had approved revised language to soften the impact of Medicaid cuts and food assistance cuts on Alaska.