Former President Donald Trump on Thursday urged Republicans to eliminate the Senate filibuster as a way to bring an end to the monthlong government shutdown.
In a late-night post on Truth Social, Trump noted that Democrats had previously attempted to remove the Senate rule during the Biden administration, when they held both chambers of Congress and the White House. Their effort failed, he said, because then-Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema — both of whom have since become independents — opposed the move.
Trump revived discussion of the so-called “nuclear option” after returning from his trip to Asia earlier this week.
“The one question that kept coming up, however, was how did the Democrats SHUT DOWN the United States of America, and why did the powerful Republicans allow them to do it?” Trump wrote. “The fact is, in flying back, I thought a great deal about that question, WHY?”
The former president praised Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson for “doing a GREAT job,” while criticizing Democrats as “crazed lunatics” afflicted with “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
“They want trillions of dollars to be taken from our healthcare system and given to others who are not deserving — people who have come into our country illegally, many from prisons and mental institutions,” Trump continued. “This will hurt American citizens, and Republicans will not let it happen.”
As the shutdown stretches into its fourth week, both parties continue to trade blame for the impasse.
Trump argued that with Republicans now in control of Congress and the White House, they should “play their Trump card” and move forward with the nuclear option to bypass Democratic opposition.
“Get rid of the filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!” he wrote.
Trump added that Democrats “fought so hard” to end the filibuster under Biden but failed — and now, Republicans should do the same to advance their own legislative goals and reopen the government.
“[I]f we did what we should be doing, it would immediately end this ridiculous, country-destroying shutdown,” he said, adding that Democrats would “do it on their first day” if they returned to power.
Trump also referenced the origins of the idea, recalling that former President Barack Obama and ex–Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had once pursued similar procedural tactics for their advantage.
“Now I want to do it in order to take advantage of the Democrats,” Trump concluded.
