Johnson Cautions Against Trump’s Filibuster Proposal Amid Shutdown

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) expressed concern over President Donald Trump’s recent suggestion that the Senate should utilize the “nuclear option” to end the ongoing government shutdown.

During a press conference on Friday, Johnson addressed Trump’s late-night post on Truth Social, where the President urged the Senate to eliminate the filibuster, which currently requires 60 votes for most legislation, thus allowing Republican funding bills to pass with a simple majority.

“As I’ve mentioned before, the filibuster isn’t my call. It’s a Senate decision,” Johnson clarified. “But it’s been viewed as an important safeguard. If the tables were turned, I doubt our side would appreciate it.”

The filibuster historically requires 60 votes to bypass in the Senate, allowing a bill to proceed to a final vote. There was a time when Senate Democrats held a majority and tried to advance reforms, but they were hindered by some of their more moderate members.

Johnson raised the alarm that if Republicans move forward with abolishing the filibuster now, Democrats could easily use that precedent in the future to push through their agendas, potentially disregarding Republicans entirely.

“Democrats have made their intentions clear. They aim to expand the Supreme Court, admit Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. as states, and impose strict gun control measures,” Johnson conveyed. “Those changes could be detrimental, and the filibuster serves as a necessary check.” He added, though, that this issue isn’t within his purview and he feels unable to discuss it further.

As of now, the government shutdown has lasted for 31 days, starting on September 19th, when Senate Democrats stymied Republican attempts for temporary funding 13 times. Currently, five more Senate Democrats would need to team up with Republicans to break the filibuster.

Trump, evidently frustrated with the deadlock, posted late Thursday that it was time for Republicans to utilize their power and abolish the filibuster to end the shutdown quickly.

“Not that long ago, Democrats pushed for changes while in control, but were stymied by Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. They fought aggressively, knowing that eliminating the filibuster would empower them immensely,” Trump remarked.

He continued, asserting that Republicans currently hold the power and, if they act decisively, they can quickly resolve this “country-destroying” shutdown. He suggested that if Democrats were to regain power, they could easily implement their changes on day one, should Republicans fail to use their current legislative tools effectively.

Johnson interpreted Trump’s comments as an expression of frustration with the status quo. “What we’re seeing is the president’s anger at this situation,” he stated. “He, like many Americans, is tired of this chaos. He just wants the government functioning and assistance reaching those who require it.”

While Senate Republicans have previously enacted the nuclear option this year to confirm a nominee from Trump, it seems unlikely they would do so again, especially regarding restrictions on the filibuster.

In light of this stance, a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader John Thune reiterated, “Our position on the significance of the legislative filibuster remains unchanged.”