President Trump’s suggestion to eliminate the filibuster seems unlikely to gain traction among Senate Republicans.
In two posts on Truth Social Thursday evening, Trump called on Republicans to bypass Democratic resistance to ending the ongoing government shutdown by abolishing the filibuster. This rule typically requires a 60-vote threshold for most legislation. Senate Republican leaders were quick to reject this idea.
Ryan Russ, a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, stated that Thune’s views on the significance of the filibuster remain unchanged. Additionally, Kate Noyes, spokeswoman for Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, indicated that Barrasso still supports the filibuster.
Both Thune and Barrasso have argued that maintaining the filibuster is essential to prevent Democrats from implementing extreme policies when they regain control.
“Democrats want us to do that,” Barrasso explained, stressing the consequences of eliminating the filibuster. He referred to prior Democratic attempts to push through changes that could reshape the Senate.
In his posts, Trump criticized Democrats, claiming they have “completely lost wisdom and any sense of reality,” encouraging Republicans to take drastic actions like using the “nuclear option” to end the filibuster. “Because the Democratic Party has gone completely crazy, the choice is clear – launch the ‘nuclear option’ and make America great again!” he wrote.
These social media comments followed a moment when Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats successfully filibustered yet another bipartisan government funding bill from the House. If Republicans were to eradicate the 60-vote requirement, it would allow them to reopen the government without needing support from Democrats.
However, many Senate Republicans view changing this threshold as risky. With the GOP largely opposed, it’s unlikely they could gather enough votes to eliminate the filibuster. “The filibuster encourages us to seek consensus in the Senate. Power may shift, but our principles shouldn’t,” remarked Utah Republican Sen. John Curtis, expressing his strong opposition to its removal.
House Speaker Mike Johnson also voiced his concerns about getting rid of the filibuster, asserting it has historically served as an important safeguard. “I don’t think teams would like it if the situation were reversed,” he said at a press conference.
During the current government shutdown, conservative members of the Senate Republican Conference reiterated their stance on keeping the legislative filibuster. “It’s not even within the realm of possibility,” said Republican Sen. John Kennedy from Louisiana, making a colorful remark regarding its elimination.
Republican Sen. Joni Ernst from Iowa warned that abolishing the filibuster could have detrimental effects on the country. Despite some calls from House Republicans, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, urging for its elimination to end the shutdown, the Senate Republicans seem firmly entrenched in their position.
