Trump Urges Republicans to ‘Terminate’ the Filibuster, but GOP Senate Leadership Opposes the Idea

(SeaPRwire) –   President Donald Trump is once more calling on Republicans to eliminate the Senate filibuster, despite opposition from party leaders.

“When is ‘enough, enough’ for our Republican Senators,” Trump posted on Truth Social Thursday morning. “There comes a time when you must do what should have been done a long time ago, and something which the Lunatic Democrats will do on day one, if they ever get the chance.”

The President referenced the ongoing partial government shutdown that is creating disruption at airports nationwide, along with the strict voter ID legislation he has strongly supported that is under Senate consideration. “TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER, and get our airports, and everything else, moving again,” he posted on Truth Social. “Also, add the complete, all five items, SAVE AMERICA ACT items. Go for the Gold!!!”

“TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER!” he posted in another Truth Social message minutes later.

In a third post that morning, Trump criticized Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, alleging he would seek an agreement with Republicans to halt the partial shutdown “because he thinks that if he doesn’t, Republicans will TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER, something which they should do whether he makes a deal or not!!!”

This isn’t the first occasion the President has urged Republicans to abolish the filibuster, a rule that allows the minority party to stall or prevent bills by prolonging debate, effectively requiring most legislation to achieve a 60-vote threshold for passage.

In October, Trump urged his party’s legislators to “go for what is called the Nuclear Option—Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!” claiming this would resolve the full government shutdown underway. At that point, the shutdown had lasted roughly a month; it eventually became the longest in American history at 43 days.

The present partial shutdown, which started on Feb. 14 during a dispute between Democrats and Republicans over immigration enforcement, is set to surpass that record this weekend, unless Congress reaches an agreement beforehand.

Though limited to the Department of Homeland Security, this shutdown has again caused major problems for air travel. Passengers have endured hours-long waits in security queues at airports nationwide in recent weeks, as terminals face a shortage of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel. Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill stated Wednesday that the nation is experiencing “the highest wait times in TSA history, with some wait times greater than four and a half hours.”

Certain Republicans have voiced backing for Trump’s proposal to eliminate the filibuster. In a Daily Wire opinion piece, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson wrote, “I’m not sure how things could get much worse by ending the filibuster. The status quo certainly isn’t working. I think it’s obvious things must change—we need a paradigm shift.” Trump promoted the article on his Truth Social page Thursday morning.

However, numerous party members have opposed the concept. Senate Majority Leader John Thune informed the Washington Examiner last week that he opposed conducting a vote to terminate the filibuster.

“I don’t think that serves anybody’s interest,” he told the publication. He has previously stated that eliminating the filibuster would be a “bad idea,” and that “the 60-vote threshold has protected this country.”

Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso and Republican Conference Chair Tom Cotton, the second and third ranking Republicans in the chamber respectively, have also voiced opposition to abolishing the filibuster previously, including during last fall’s shutdown.

Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins has also stated her opposition to ending the filibuster, writing in a statement to the Maine Wire last month that “the filibuster is an important protection for the rights of the minority party, that requires Senators to work together in the best interest of the country.”

“Removing that protection would, for example, allow a future Congress controlled by Democrats to pass provisions on anything they want—DC Statehood, open borders, or packing the Supreme Court—with just a simple majority of Senators,” she said.