Trump calls on Senate Republicans to nuke filibuster

By Thérèse Boudreaux
The Center Square

With the ongoing government shutdown now entering its second month, President Donald Trump has had enough: he wants Senate Republicans to end the filibuster.

“Majority Leader John Thune, and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, are doing a GREAT job, but the Democrats are Crazed Lunatics that have lost all sense of WISDOM and REALITY,” Trump posted on Truth Social Thursday night.

“It is now time for the Republicans to play their ‘TRUMP CARD,’ and go for what is called the Nuclear Option — Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!” he said.

The 60-vote threshold, applicable to almost all bills in the Senate, allowed Democrats to shut down the government Sept. 30 at midnight by withholding their votes on Republicans’ funding stopgap.

Since then, all but three Democrats have voted 13 times against the GOP Continuing Resolution, preventing the government from reopening. They say they will continue to do so unless Republicans agree to extend the enhanced Obamacare Premium Tax Credits.

Both parties at different times in the past have pursued the idea of ending the filibuster, which could be accomplished by a simple majority vote.

“Just a short while ago, the Democrats, while in power, fought for three years to do this, but were unable to pull it off because of Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona,” Trump argued. “Well, now WE are in power, and if we did what we should be doing, it would IMMEDIATELY end this ridiculous, Country destroying ‘SHUT DOWN.’

But despite all the headaches it’s caused, the filibuster has remained, as enough lawmakers realize that such a decision will inevitably come back to bite them once their side loses the majority.

Some Republican senators have already responded that they won’t support ending the filibuster.

“The filibuster forces us to find common ground in the Senate. Power changes hands, but principles shouldn’t,” Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, said on X Friday. “I’m a firm no on eliminating it.”

Trump, however, argues that if Republicans don’t end it now, Democrats will once they regain congressional power and “take advantage of the Republicans.”

He also noted that Republicans, who hold a majority in both chambers of Congress, could speed run the Trump administration’s agenda if they end the 60-vote threshold in the Senate.

“If the Democrats ever came back into power, which would be made easier for them if the Republicans are not using the Great Strength and Policies made available to us by ending the Filibuster, the Democrats will exercise their rights, and it will be done in the first day they take office, regardless of whether or not we do it,” the president concluded. “Now I want to do it in order to take advantage of the Democrats….”