President Donald Trump has urged Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster rule to resolve the ongoing government shutdown, now in its 30th day.
This proposal marks a sharp intervention by Trump, who returned from a week-long trip to Asia and immediately posted on social media calling for the "nuclear option."
The shutdown began on October 1 after Democrats refused to support a stopgap funding measure without an extension of health care subsidies for low-income Americans.
Republicans, holding a 53-47 Senate majority, have resisted negotiations, accusing Democrats of holding the government hostage over policy demands.
Trump's call revives a long-standing debate over the filibuster, a Senate rule requiring 60 votes to advance most legislation and providing a check on the majority party.
In a Thursday social media post, Trump wrote that “THE CHOICE IS CLEAR — INITIATE THE ‘NUCLEAR OPTION,’ GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER.”
He argued that powerful Republicans should not allow Democrats to prolong the shutdown, emphasizing that eliminating the rule would immediately end the crisis.
Trump has advocated for this change since his first term, viewing it as a tool to bypass Democratic obstruction.
However, the proposal has drawn swift opposition from within the Republican conference, which sees the filibuster as essential to the Senate's deliberative nature.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune's spokesman stated Friday that the leader’s “position on the importance of the legislative filibuster is unchanged.”
Even if pursued, Thune lacks the votes to alter the rule, as many Republicans, including Sen. John Curtis of Utah, have voiced firm resistance.
Curtis posted on X that “The filibuster forces us to find common ground in the Senate,” adding, “Power changes hands, but principles shouldn’t. I’m a firm no on eliminating it.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson also defended the filibuster, describing it as “the safeguard in the Senate” and attributing Trump's remarks to frustration with the impasse.
Democrats have historically pushed to end the filibuster during their periods of control but failed due to internal opposition, fearing future repercussions.
The impasse has inflicted widespread hardship, with federal workers missing paychecks and essential services at risk of disruption.
Over the weekend, funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is set to expire, potentially affecting more than 40 million low-income households.
In Alaska, residents like those in Sen. Lisa Murkowski's state are stockpiling moose, caribou, and fish amid fears of food shortages.
Murkowski noted, “People are stressing,” as options dwindle in remote areas.
Holiday travel faces delays due to unpaid air traffic controllers, while open enrollment for health insurance marketplaces begins Saturday amid premium hikes.
The White House has prioritized military pay but refused to redirect funds for food aid, despite a recent law under Trump that cut SNAP benefits, projecting 2.4 million people off the program.
Quiet bipartisan talks among senators continue, but with Congress recessed until after Tuesday's off-year elections in New York City, Virginia, and New Jersey, resolution appears unlikely before next week.
If unresolved, the shutdown could surpass the 35-day record from 2019, set during Trump's first term over border wall funding demands.