John Thune
Senate Majority Leader
RECORD LOCKED · 119TH CONGRESSWhy this seat is in the Gang of Eight
Holds a Gang of Eight seat as Senate Majority Leader — one of the four congressional leadership positions written into the covert action notification statute.
Statutory basis
The majority leader of the Senate is named in 50 U.S.C. § 3093(c)(2).
Background
John Thune has represented South Dakota in the Senate since 2005 and became Senate Majority Leader at the start of the 119th Congress, succeeding Mitch McConnell as the chamber's Republican leader. He previously served as Senate Republican Whip and as chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee. His Gang of Eight seat follows the leadership office.
Role in intelligence oversight
As majority leader, Thune controls Senate floor time for intelligence authorization measures and surveillance reauthorizations, and shapes the majority's appointments to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
Record
| Full name | John Randolph Thune |
|---|---|
| Gang of Eight seat | Senate Majority Leader |
| Basis of seat | Congressional Leadership |
| Party | Republican |
| Represents | South Dakota |
| Congressional service | Elected to the Senate in 2004; House service 1997–2003 |
| Holding this seat since | January 3, 2025 |
| Predecessor in seat | Mitch McConnell (as Republican Leader) |
| Official site | www.thune.senate.gov |
| Record covers | 119th Congress (January 3, 2025 – January 3, 2027) |
| Last verified | August 27, 2026 |
What this page does not claim
Nothing on this page asserts that this officeholder received any particular briefing, or describes the contents of any classified notification. Gang of Eight notifications are, by design, not public. This is a record of the seat and the authority attached to it.