Sen. John Thune "has called for taking the debt limit hostage to force cuts to Social Security," warned one defender of the nation's most effective anti-poverty program.

Staunch supporters of President-elect Donald Trump expressed their concerns that Sen. John Thune (R-SD) is likely to follow Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) example and not toe the MAGA line.

Republicans elected Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., to serve as majority leader in next Senate session, replacing current GOP caucus leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., with another institutionalist distrusted by the MAGA world — but one largely willing to cooperate with President-elect Donald Trump to keep the GOP in power and pass conservative policies.