Trump Urges Senate to Abolish Filibuster Amid Government Shutdown

Sat Nov 01 2025 02:10:50 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

President Trump calls for the elimination of the legislative filibuster as a means to end the ongoing government shutdown, facing resistance from Republican senators committed to maintaining the status quo.

In a recent move during the ongoing government shutdown, President Trump has voiced his frustrations by urging Senate Republicans to eliminate the legislative filibuster. This long-standing parliamentary tool requires 60 votes to advance most bills and has been a stumbling block in negotiations. Despite Trump’s calls, Republican leaders and many senators remain resistant to the idea, fearing the potential consequences of such a drastic change. The filibuster is viewed as a mechanism to encourage compromise and bipartisanship, making it a contentious topic among lawmakers. As negotiations continue over funding bills, the future of the filibuster hangs in the balance.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Seemingly frustrated by the government shutdown and Democrats’ unwillingness to accept a Republican funding bill, President Donald Trump is once again demanding that the Senate eliminate the legislative filibuster.

The filibuster is a longstanding parliamentary tool that halts action on most bills unless 60 senators in the 100-member chamber vote to move forward. Over the years, it has stymied policy priorities for Democrats and Republicans alike, and Trump has been complaining about the maneuver since his first White House term.

Getting rid of it would be a way for Republicans to immediately end the now month-long shutdown, he said. “It is now time for the Republicans to play their ‘TRUMP CARD,’ and go for what is called the Nuclear Option — Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!” the president wrote on his social media site Thursday night.

But majority Republicans have strongly resisted calls to eliminate the legislative filibuster, since it would dilute their power if and when they are in the minority again. In its best form, the filibuster encourages compromise and dealmaking.

What is a filibuster?

Unlike the House, the Senate places few constraints on lawmakers’ right to speak. But senators can use the chamber’s rules to hinder or block votes. That’s what’s effectively a filibuster — a term that, according to Senate records, began appearing in the mid-19th century.

The filibuster isn’t in the Constitution and it wasn’t part of the Founding Fathers’ vision for the Senate. It was created inadvertently after Vice President Aaron Burr complained in 1805 that the chamber’s rule book was redundant and overly complicated, according to historians.

Now, senators inform their leaders — and often confirm publicly — that they will filibuster a bill. No lengthy speeches required. Nonetheless, the Senate still needs to muster 60 votes to move past that obstacle.

Wait — isn’t the filibuster already gone?

Yes, but only for nominations. In 2013, then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., led Senate Democrats in eliminating the filibuster for all nominations except for candidates to the Supreme Court, triggering what’s known in the Senate as the “nuclear option.” Democrats were fed up with repeated Republican filibusters of President Barack Obama’s nominees. Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell warned Democrats that they’d come to regret going nuclear. And he returned the favor in 2017 when Republicans eliminated the filibuster on Supreme Court nominees.

Trump mentioned in his Truth Social post that eliminating the filibuster would help Republicans get the “best Judges” and the “best U.S. Attorneys,” but it’s unclear what he meant since he needs only a simple majority to install those picks.

What does this have to do with the shutdown?

As with any government funding bill, Republicans need help from at least a handful of Democrats to clear the 60-vote threshold in the Senate since they control just 53 votes. In exchange for their votes on a stopgap funding bill, most Democrats have demanded an extension of subsidies for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Republicans argue that’s a costly nonstarter.

Where do Republicans stand on dumping the filibuster?

Unlike many other demands from Trump, GOP senators have generally resisted his calls to get rid of the filibuster. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has long defended the filibuster, reiterating that it protects the country and allows for necessary compromise. Veteran senators who have witnessed the chamber's power shift between parties are generally firm on keeping the filibuster, asserting that it forces lawmakers to find common ground.

Oftentimes, House Republicans weigh in on Senate strategy, urging GOP senators to follow Trump’s wishes to eliminate the filibuster. But House members lack influence on Senate decisions. As the government shutdown continues, the pressure around the filibuster remains high, and its future becomes increasingly uncertain.