JT
John Thune
Born January 7, 1961 (65 years)
John Randolph Thune (born January 7, 1961) is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator from South Dakota, a seat he has held since 2005. Thune is in his fourth Senate term and is the Senate minority whip, a post he has held since 2021. A member of the Republican Party, Thune served three terms as the U.S. representative for South Dakota's at-large congressional district from 1997 to 2003.
Thune has worked in politics and civic organizations since completing his MBA degree. He is known for his defeat of sitting Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle in 2004. In the U.S. Senate, Thune served as the Republican chief deputy whip from 2007 to 2009 and chaired the Senate Republican Policy Committee from 2009 to 2012. He served as the Senate Republican Conference chair, the third-ranking position in the Senate, from 2012 to 2019.
The Senate Republican Conference selected Thune as majority whip for the 116th Congress; he succeeded Senator John Cornyn of Texas, who was term-limited in the position. In 2020, he was chosen as minority whip for the 117th Congress.
Thune has worked in politics and civic organizations since completing his MBA degree. He is known for his defeat of sitting Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle in 2004. In the U.S. Senate, Thune served as the Republican chief deputy whip from 2007 to 2009 and chaired the Senate Republican Policy Committee from 2009 to 2012. He served as the Senate Republican Conference chair, the third-ranking position in the Senate, from 2012 to 2019.
The Senate Republican Conference selected Thune as majority whip for the 116th Congress; he succeeded Senator John Cornyn of Texas, who was term-limited in the position. In 2020, he was chosen as minority whip for the 117th Congress.
Filmography
| 2025 | My View with Lara Trump (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2022 | The Grab · as Self - Senator, South Dakota |
| 2022 | Greta Van Susteren the Record (TV Series) · as Self - South Dakota Senator (r) |
| 2022 | Jesse Watters Primetime (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2021 | Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy (TV Series) · as Self - Senate Minority Whip |
| 2021 | Kudlow (TV Series) · as Self - Senate Minority Whip |
| 2021 | The Faulkner Focus (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2021 | America Reports (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2020 | Rob Schmitt Tonight (TV Series) · as Self - South Dakota Senator |
| 2020 | Stinchfield (TV Series) · as Self - (r) South Dakota |
| 2020 | GMA3: What You Need to Know (TV Series) · as Self - South Dakota Senator |
| 2020 | Spicer & Co (TV Series) · as Self - South Dakota Senator (r) |
| 2017 | Fox News @ Night (TV Series) · as Self - Senate Minority Whip |
| 2017 | The Words That Built America · as Self - Reader: The Constitution |
| 2014 | Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo (TV Series) · as Self - Chairman, Senate Republican Conference |
| 2014 | At This Hour (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2013 | The Kelly File (TV Series) · as Self - Chairman, Senate Republican Policy Conference |
| 2013 | CNN This Morning (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2013 | The Lead with Jake Tapper (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | CBS Mornings (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2009 | Quest Means Business (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2009 | Hannity (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2007 | Morning Joe (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2007 | America's Newsroom with Bill Hemmer & Dana Perino (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2002 | On the Record w/ Brit Hume (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | Fox Report with Jon Scott (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | Your World (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | No Spin News (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | Hannity & Colmes (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | Fox News Sunday (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1994 | Hardball with Chris Mathews (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1989 | CNN Newsroom (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1987 | Weekend Today (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1975 | PBS News (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1968 | 60 Minutes (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 1954 | Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan (TV Series) · as Self - Senate Majority Leader |
| 1952 | Today (TV Series) · as Self - U.s. Senate Majority Leader |
| 1947 | Meet the Press (TV Series) · as Self - U.s. Senate Majority Leader |