BETRAYAL IN THE SWAMP: Turncoat John Thune Sends Senate Home for 37 Days — But Schedules 11 Pro Forma Sessions to BLOCK Trump from Making Recess Appointments

by Jim Hᴏft Aug. 9, 2026 8:40 pm992 Comments

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They never learn. And they never stop hating you.

In a move that proves once again that the D.C. Establishment is completely terrified of the America First agenda, RINO Senator John Thune, Mitch McConnell’s hand-picked Swamp successor, has just pulled one of the most underhanded, backstabbing maneuvers in Senate history.

Instead of doing the work of the American people, “Useless” John Thune is sending the United States Senate home for a massive, unearned 37-DAY VACATION.

But it gets worse. Much worse. Thune isn’t just going on vacation. He is purposely scheduling 11 fake, “pro forma” sessions during the break.

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The Senate will gavel into its first pro forma session Monday, August 10, at 10 a.m.

Under the schedule approved before senators fled Washington, a lone senator will periodically open and close the chamber while no legislative business is expected.

For those who don’t know, a “pro forma” session is a sham. It’s a fake session where one single Swamp creature walks into an empty chamber, gavels in for thirty seconds, and gavels out. No votes. No debates. No work.

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There will be 11 pro forma sessions before regular Senate business resumes on September 14:

• Monday, August 10^th at 10:00am
• Thursday, August 13^th at 8:00am
• Monday, August 17^th at 1:30pm
• Thursday, August 20^th at 11:30am
• Monday, August 24^th at 12:30pm
• Thursday, August 27^th at 8:00am
• Monday, August 31^st at 11:30am
• Tuesday, September 1^st at 12:30pm
• Friday, September 4^th at 10:00am
• Tuesday, September 8^th at 1:15pm
• Thursday, September 10^th at 3:00pm

The dates are confirmed by the official Senate floor schedule.

The Supreme Court’s 2014 ruling in NLRB v. Noel Canning held that these brief sessions count as genuine Senate sessions when the chamber retains the ability to conduct business. Recesses lasting fewer than ten days are generally too short to activate the president’s appointment authority.

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Thune’s schedule carefully prevents that clock from reaching ten days. It is a procedural barricade erected by a Republican-controlled Senate against a Republican president.

The sole purpose is to prevent President Trump from exercising his constitutional power to make recess appointments. Trump is the only president in American history whose own party has repeatedly used this trick against him.

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