Government shutdown live updates as funding impasse nears record for longest ever
President Trump on Sunday evening again called on the Senate to end the filibuster, the 60-vote threshold needed to advance most legislation. The comments come after he urged Republicans late last week to adopt the “nuclear option” to reopen government without Democratic votes.
“END THE FILIBUSTER, NOT JUST FOR THE STOP, BUT FOR EVERYTHING ELSE,” Mr. Trump said in an article on Truth Social.
The president’s calls come as some on the party’s right flank, like Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, have also urged Senate Republicans to change the upper chamber’s rules to end the shutdown. But Senate Majority Leader John Thune favors maintaining the filibuster, and a spokesman said Friday his position remains unchanged.
The president responded to Thune’s position in a manner interview which aired Sunday on “60 Minutes,” saying “I like John Thune. I think he’s great, but I disagree with him on this.”
“Republicans need to get tougher,” the president said. “If we end the filibuster, we can do exactly what we want.”
In the president’s latest call to end the filibuster, he suggested the move would benefit Republicans more broadly, saying that “WE WILL APPROVE ALL OUR COMMON SENSE POLICIES (VOTER ID, ANYONE?) AND MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Mr. Trump also suggested that Democrats would take the first opportunity to end the filibuster.
“Remember, Democrats will do this immediately, as soon as they get the chance,” Mr. Trump said. “DOING THIS WILL NOT GIVE THEM A CHANCE. REPUBLICANS, BE TOUGH AND SMART!”
