GOP Pushes Back Against Trump’s Call To Kill The Filibuster
Republicans Push Back Against Trump’s Call To Kill The Filibuster
The now monthlong government shutdown does not appear to be coming to a close anytime soon. Public opinion has consistently blamed Republicans for the shutdown, and it appears that’s got President Donald Trump in his feelings.
During a series of late-night Truth Social posts on Thursday, Trump called on Senate Republicans to kill the 60-vote filibuster. In a surprising move, that demand was met not with the Republican Party’s usual sycophancy but with staunch resistance instead.
According to NBC News, Senate Republicans have long supported the 60-vote rule, which requires some degree of bipartisan support for most bills to pass. Republicans control the Senate by a 53-47 margin. The government shutdown began this month as Democrats refused to approve a short-term spending bill unless COVID-era subsidies that kept insurance provided through the Affordable Care Act affordable. Instead of advocating for an extension to the subsidies, which would make sense considering that a large portion of his base gets their insurance through the ACA, Trump instead decided to rant on social media.
“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!” Trump wrote in his social media posts. “Well, now WE are in power, and if we did what we should be doing, it would IMMEDIATELY end this ridiculous, Country destroying ‘SHUT DOWN.’”
Historically, Republicans in Congress act like they aren’t aware of the outlandish things Trump says on social media or in the press. That was not the case with these posts, as several Republican senators have publicly spoken out against killing the filibuster. Shortly ahead of the 2024 election, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he had no intention of killing the legislative filibuster. “There’s always pressure on the filibuster,” the majority leader said. “But I can tell you that the filibuster through the years has been something that’s been a bulwark against a lot of really bad things happening to the country.”
“Leader Thune’s position on the importance of the legislative filibuster is unchanged,” Thune spokesman Ryan Wrasse said Friday in response to Trump’s posts.
Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) “The filibuster forces us to find common ground in the Senate,” Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) wrote in a post on X. “Power changes hands, but principles shouldn’t. I’m a firm no on eliminating it.”
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) noted that Trump previously tried to kill the filibuster during his first term to implement his agenda. “We stood firm there,” Tillis said. “I can’t imagine anybody changing now.”
For once, I actually agree with Republicans on an issue (gross).
Whenever the minority party uses the filibuster to prevent the majority party from passing legislation, it usually spurs a conversation about killing the filibuster. I remember many discussions about killing the filibuster during the Biden presidency when it came to ideas like expanding the Supreme Court or giving D.C. statehood.
Power always changes, though. While the Republican Party has had no issue running roughshod over every norm possible during the second Trump administration, imagine how much more insane this would be if they didn’t need Democratic input at all in Congress?
The timing of Trump’s posts, quite honestly, hurt his Party. The country already lays the blame for the shutdown on Republicans. By floating the nuclear option, he’s telling their base that this is something the Republicans can do to end the government shutdown.
Additionally, a bipartisan group of rank-and-file senators has been quietly engaging in negotiations to potentially bring the shutdown to an end next week. As a self-proclaimed “dealmaker,” you’d think Trump would be at the forefront of the negotiating table trying to strike a deal. Instead, Trump is out here trying to nuke the filibuster to ensure Americans don’t have access to affordable health care.
That’s their mans, though.
SEE ALSO:
Here’s Where We Are In The Current Government Shutdown
Democrats, GOP Negotiate To End Government Shutdown
Republicans Push Back Against Trump’s Call To Kill The Filibuster was originally published on newsone.com
