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As the government shutdown drags on, President Trump shared a Truth Social post calling on congressional Republicans to end the filibuster, a tactic he calls the “nuclear option.
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From Fox News:
“The one question that kept coming up, however, was how did the DemocratsSHUT DOWN the United States of America, and why did the powerful Republicans allow them to do it?” Trump wrote. “The fact is, in flying back, I thought a great deal about that question, WHY?”
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Trump added that Republicans, who now hold control of Congress and the White House, should play their “Trump card” and go for the “nuclear option.”
“Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!” he wrote.
The President noted that some Democrats had tried to remove the Senate procedure under President Biden, but they ultimately failed when Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema joined with Republicans to stop the effort. President Trump also stated that Democrats would try to abolish the filibuster again upon regaining power.
According to the Brennan Center for Justice, a filibuster is “an attempt to delay or block a vote on a piece of legislation or a confirmation.” With the procedure in place, Senators are able to delay votes on a bill, oftentimes through lengthy, blustering speeches. It takes 60 votes to move past these delays and distractions.
In effect, this means that the Senate, which ordinarily only requires a simple majority to pass bills just like the House, essentially needs a 60-vote supermajority to pass legislation.
The Brennan Center for Justice notes that the filibuster has proven to be inconvenient, “often slowing business in the chamber to a halt.” This rule is part of why Republicans struggled to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill earlier this year. It is also why Republicans, despite holding the majority of the Senate, routinely struggle to pass budgets, often leading to the threat of a shutdown like the one we are in today.
If our senators abolished the filibuster, it would enable legislators to enact President Trump’s agenda at lightning-fast speed, barreling through any and all Democrat opposition. It could, however, enable Democrats to do the same should they regain control of Congress, which is likely why the President referred to it as the nuclear option.
As Republicans consider taking this drastic step to end the shutdown, let’s pray!
What do you think of abolishing the filibuster? Share your thoughts and prayers below.
(Excerpt from Fox News. Photo Credit: Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
