Senate Majority Leader John Thune Emphasizes ‘Power of the Purse’ and Hearings as Checks on Presidential Authority in ‘Meet the Press’ Interview. Senator John ThuneIn a Sunday interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) addressed questions from moderator Kristen Welker regarding President Trump’s use of executive authority and the necessity for Congress to push back. Thune cast the issue as a perennial struggle for power, stating that presidents across all administrations, Democrat and Republican, “are always going to assert as much authority as they can. Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.