President Donald Trump was back on U.S. soil for less than 24 hours before he resumed issuing seismic political edicts via late-night Truth Social post.
In a lengthy message on Thursday, not long after the president and first lady Melania Trump handed out candy to White House trick-or-treaters, Trump called on Republicans to play their “trump card” and “go for what is called the nuclear option,” eliminating the filibuster rule.
He said the move would imbue him and the Republican party with “Great Strength.”
Trump’s call to action is an attempt by the president to eliminate the Senate rule Democrats are currently using to block government funding plans.
The filibuster rule in the Senate means 60 votes are required to bring legislation up for a vote. Republicans hold a majority of 53 to the Democrats’ 47. Changing filibuster rules and requiring only a simple majority in the Senate would overturn two centuries of the upper chamber providing a powerful check on the party in power.
The president is right to say that previous Democratic presidents have also dreamed of stripping out this impediment.
“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. Never have the Democrats fought so hard to do something because they knew the tremendous strength that terminating the Filibuster would give them,” he wrote.
He continued, “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.‘” 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.
“This was a concept from years ago of then President Barack Hussein Obama and former Majority Leader Harry Reid in order to take advantage of the Republicans. Now I want to do it in order to take advantage of the Democrats.”
He also posted a shorter version of his edict for those with limited attention spans, writing (this time in all caps), “….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!"
The government shutdown began on Oct. 1 as a result of the Senate’s failure to pass government funding. It is now the second-longest shutdown in U.S. history, surpassed only by the shutdown that occurred during Trump’s first term.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune dismissed suggestions Republicans were considering changes to the filibuster rule earlier this month, telling reporters that he had not been told by the White House to do so.
“There’s always a lot of swirl out there, as you know, from social media, etc. But no, I have not had that conversation,” Thune said.
That situation has clearly now changed.
While some Republicans, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Sen. Bernie Moreno, have floated the idea of eliminating the rule, others have spoken out in favor of keeping it, arguing that it benefits Republicans and serves as a safeguard against the risk of Democrats exercising unchecked power next time they have a majority.
Speaker Mike Johnson also cautioned against eliminating the rule, telling reporters, “Is it possible? Yes… Is it wise? A lot of people would tell you it’s not.“
“I mean, on the Republican side, I would be deeply concerned if the Democrats had a bare majority in the Senate right now.”
