Trump Slaps Down Reporter’s ‘Stupid Question’ About Senate Recess

President Donald Trump berated a reporter who asked why he wanted senators to stay in Washington instead of heading home to campaign.

The exchange happened Monday during a press gaggle aboard Air Force One as Trump traveled to Michigan, according to Newsweek. A reporter pressed him on his push to keep the chamber in session, asking why lawmakers should not be out campaigning across the country.

“What a stupid question,” Trump answered, according to the video of the exchange posted on X, then repeated the line when the reporter followed up.

Trump then explained that he wanted senators to remain in D.C. until they passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, currently the president’s top legislative priority.

“The SAVE Act has to be done. They shouldn’t leave town. I’m not going to stop them from doing it, but they should get the SAVE Act done,” he said in the video. He warned that failure would carry a cost, saying “if they don’t get it done, it’s going to be a very bad thing for the party.”

"Why do you want the U.S. Senate to stay in town?"@POTUS: "What a stupid question." 🤣 https://t.co/W6mc9N3Mp6 pic.twitter.com/PLWiqtmytM

The president claimed every Democrat would oppose the measure and predicted roughly four Republicans would break ranks as well, according to the video.

Trump has placed enormous pressure on Senate Majority Leader John Thune to pass the bill. He wrote on Truth Social that Thune should block the Senate from leaving until it passes the bill or ends the filibuster, but Thune has repeatedly argued that he doesn’t have the votes.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said last week the president’s patience with the leader was running thin.

The SAVE Act would require voters to prove citizenship when registering. The Senate has rejected it twice by a 48-50 margin, according to Democracy Docket. House Speaker Mike Johnson has folded pieces of the plan into a budget framework he hopes to move through reconciliation, though the Senate parliamentarian could block that route, Newsweek reported.