Thune Blocks Trump's Recess Appointments With Pro Forma Sessions

By Susie Madrak — August 4, 2025

Now, THIS is interesting. Senate Majority Leader John Thune will schedule pro forma sessions throughout the August recess which will, in effect, stop Donald Trump from making any recess appointments. MAGAts are furious. Via Raw Story:

According to CSPAN's Craig Caplan, "Senate just agreed by unanimous consent at the request of Majority Leader Thune to hold pro forma sessions every 3 days following today’s session and not return for votes until Tuesday, Sept. 2nd. This agreement will block President Trump from making recess appointments."

For Trump's supporters, insult was added to injury because occasional Trump critics, Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME), were sitting behind Thune and smiling as he made the motion.

That led one admirer of the president to post on X, "JUST IN: John Thune blocks President Trump from making recess appointments using pro-forma sessions. RINOs Susan Collins smirks behind him as Lisa Murkowski nods her head in approval. These anti-American people do not have Trump’s back."

Aww! Someone said no to Little Donnie!

A decision by Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to schedule pro forma sessions throughout the August recess which will, in effect, stop Donald Trump from making any recess appointments, has set off a firestorm among the president's MAGA followers.

— Raw Story (@rawstory.com) 2025-08-03T18:05:26Z

This is why you put the onus on them to change the rules. It really really slows them down.

— Senate Gabe (@senategabe.bsky.social) 2025-08-03T12:23:15.228Z

And as I predicted, the conference is actually a lot more divided than people think on rules changes.

For what its worth, Schumer's team was privately telling people initially that they couldn't object to Trump's cabinet nominees because the GOP would do recess appointments. Very clearly bs.

— Senate Gabe (@senategabe.bsky.social) 2025-08-03T12:24:32.374Z

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