A prominent Republican ally of President Donald Trump is pushing back against the White House after Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt publicly criticized GOP senators for failing to advance the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility America Act (SAVE America Act), which would require individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.

Speaking at her Thursday press conference, Leavitt warned that the president's "patience is running out" with Senate inaction. She emphasized that Trump wants his voter restriction measures approved before lawmakers depart for the August recess.

"The House did its job," Leavitt said. "The Senate needs to do its job, too."

Ousted Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas fired back, telling Politico bureau chief Burgess Everett that the president's demands have effectively created a "circular firing squad for Republicans" just over 100 days out from the midterm elections.

"We just don't have the votes, and so there's nothing that Senator Thune can do to change that. This idea that he can just command members of the Republican Conference to get in line is just a fantasy, so I think it's unfair," Cornyn said.

"I don't know who it was that sold the president on this idea that this was attainable, but it's creating a circular firing squad for Republicans, and here we are, what, 103 days before the midterm elections? And this is not a great place for us to be," the Texas Republican continued.

Cornyn was defeated in his state's Republican primary by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, whom Trump endorsed over the incumbent senator.

Cornyn's remarks follow similar frustration from Republican Senate Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), who reportedly lashed out at Leavitt for compounding the caucus's difficulties with her press conference remarks. Thune suggested that if the White House wants a floor vote on the legislation, it should either help marshal the necessary support or direct its pressure toward the Democrats filibustering the measure. Senate Republicans hold a majority but fall short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster on standalone legislation, leaving the party reliant on the budget reconciliation process to advance elements of the bill by simple majority.

The closest Republicans have come to advancing the SAVE America Act is through the House, which passed a budget bill to fund the war in Iran while attaching financial incentives for states to adopt certain provisions of the act. Under that bill, states complying with portions of the law would receive payments from a $10 billion fund.

Because a budget bill can pass the Senate through reconciliation without meeting the 60-vote filibuster threshold, the measure would require only a simple majority. However, the funding package would not actually enact the SAVE America Act into law.

As the voting rights watchdog Democracy Docket explained on Thursday, "Despite Republican control of the Senate, it is unlikely that Trump will see any version of SAVE enacted ahead of the midterms."