President Donald J. Trump on Thursday reportedly called on Senate Republicans to deploy the “nuclear option” — eliminating the legislative filibuster — to end the ongoing government shutdown and pass funding legislation with a simple majority.
“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!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The appeal followed the president’s return from Asia, where he said foreign leaders had questioned how Democrats could shut down the American government and “why did the powerful Republicans allow them to do it?”
Trump’s remarks reignited debate over one of Washington’s most entrenched Senate traditions — the rule requiring 60 votes to advance most legislation. The filibuster gives the minority party considerable leverage, often stalling the majority’s agenda. Republicans currently hold 53 Senate seats, meaning they fall short of the 60-vote threshold needed to pass a spending bill without Democratic support.
Democrats, who have refused to advance a continuing resolution unless it includes an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, have held firm during the shutdown, which has stretched beyond 30 days. Trump accused them of political obstruction that harms ordinary Americans, noting that programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are set to run out of funds by November 1, and that flight delays are mounting as air traffic controllers work without pay.
The president also reminded his party that many Democrats had previously pushed to weaken or abolish the filibuster during the Biden administration when they sought to secure federal protections for abortion and voting rights. “Well, now WE are in power,” Trump wrote, “and if we did what we should be doing, it would IMMEDIATELY end this ridiculous, Country destroying ‘SHUT DOWN.’”
He warned Republicans that Democrats would not hesitate to abolish the filibuster if doing so advanced their priorities. “If the Democrats ever came back into power … it will be done in the first day they take office, regardless of whether or not we do it,” Trump said. He cited the left’s long-standing ambitions to grant statehood to Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., policies that could permanently tilt the balance of power in Congress.
Within the GOP, Trump’s call has intensified an already delicate debate. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota said he opposes weakening the filibuster, arguing that preserving Senate norms protects the chamber from volatile swings in power. Still, some Republicans have begun to consider limited exceptions, or “carve-outs,” to the 60-vote rule to address the shutdown specifically.
The filibuster has already been partially eroded in recent years. Under former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Republicans lowered the threshold for confirming judges and executive nominees to a simple majority. But eliminating it entirely for legislation would represent a profound shift in Senate procedure — one that could pave the way for sweeping partisan measures on both sides.
Trump’s push places Senate Republicans in a difficult position: either preserve institutional restraint or embrace a more aggressive strategy to advance the president’s agenda and reopen the government. For Trump, the choice is clear. “Republicans have the Great Strength and Policies made available to us by ending the Filibuster,” he wrote. “It’s time to use them.”
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