President Trump on Thursday thanked Senate Republicans for their efforts to fund his border agenda, tacitly greenlighting their decision to advance a budget blueprint that is in competition with a House plan he endorsed a day earlier.

The president’s social media post saying their “work on funding this effort is greatly appreciated” could ease concerns among Senate Republicans who questioned whether they should vote for a budget plan the president did not endorse.

The House and Senate have been divided for months over whether to advance the party’s legislative agenda through Congress in one bill or two and are moving separate budget blueprints outlining the different approaches.

Mr. Trump on Wednesday endorsed the House budget resolution, which calls for packaging all of his priorities, including border security, immigration enforcement, defense, energy and sweeping tax and spending cuts, into “one big, beautiful bill.”

The House is scheduled to vote on the plan next week.

But the Senate is plowing ahead with its own budget resolution, which would tee a reconciliation bill focused on border, immigration, defense and energy needs, while saving the tax cuts for a second bill.

A vote-a-rama in which senators can offer unlimited amendments to the budget commenced Thursday evening with a final vote expected to follow on Friday or the weekend.

Senate Republicans have said their budget is “Plan B” in case House Republicans, who can only afford to lose one vote in the face of united Democratic opposition, cannot get the votes to advance its plan.

“If the House can produce one big beautiful bill, we’re prepared to work with them to get that across the finish line,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, South Dakota Republican, said Wednesday after Mr. Trump endorsed the House plan. “But we believe that the president also likes optionality.”

Mr. Trump’s social media post on Thursday ahead of the Senate budget vote-a-rama affirmed that view.

“Thank you to Majority Leader John Thune, and the Republican Senate, for working so hard on funding the Trump Border Agenda,” the president said.

“We are setting records, the likes of which have never been seen before, on stopping criminal illegals aliens from entering our Country. Put simply, we are delivering for the American People, far faster and, more successfully, than anyone thought possible. Your work on funding this effort is greatly appreciated!” he added.

Ultimately, the two chambers need to agree on a single approach and adopt identical budget resolutions to unlock the powers of reconciliation, which will allow them to advance their agenda without the threat of a Democratic filibuster in the Senate.

• Lindsey McPherson can be reached at lmcpherson@washingtontimes.com.