Thune navigates fresh Trump rough patch as Senate frustrations boil over

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) just finished a bruising week that left his relationship with President Donald Trump at a recent low point.

Whether it gets worse will depend on how well Thune navigates the seemingly growing number of Republicans willing to buck Trump — and whether the president takes it personally if he can’t.

Senate Republicans, on break for the Memorial Day recess, have the next week to cool off after a striking display of defiance that began with a rebuke over the war with Iran and finished with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche getting chewed out over a new $1.8 billion “lawfare” fund.

Four Republicans helped Democrats advance legislation to rein in Trump’s war powers, a high mark that means the measure could actually pass more than two months into the conflict.

A far larger number of Republicans appeared poised to deal Trump a setback related to the “lawfare”