Donald Trump has called for an end to the Senate filibuster, effectively ordering Republicans to not only defy the will of their base but also backtrack on longstanding party policy to end the Congressional stalemate.
“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 a lengthy Truth Social post Thursday night.
The directive will add monumental pressure on the Senate to find a resolution to the funding blockade, but it’s not clear whether Republicans will bend.
"Now WE are in power, and if we did what we should be doing, it would IMMEDIATELY end this ridiculous, Country destroying ‘SHUT DOWN,’” he continued on Truth Social. “If the Republicans are not using the Great Strength and Policies made available to us by ending the Filibuster, the Democrats will exercise their rights, and it will be done in the first day they take office, regardless of whether or not we do it.”
“BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE GONE STONE COLD ‘CRAZY,’ THE CHOICE IS CLEAR—INITIATE THE ‘NUCLEAR OPTION,’ GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump added in a separate post.
I wouldn’t put it past the GOP to kill the filibuster now, but put it back in place right before losing power to the Dems. It’s a pretty frequent playbook where GOP loses elections, and then passes laws to strip power from the incoming party on the way out the doorl
The Senate filibuster is something that the majority party sets as the rules when the new Senate is seated following elections. It’s a procedural rule. The only reason one side has not removed the rule, is because they know there is no going back. If the Republicans remove the filibuster, and even if they put it back on place right after, then the Democrats should have no qualms removing the filibuster once they are in the majority on the Senate again.
It’s kinda like a prisoner’s dilemma.