Apparently fixated on blowing shit up and everything “nukular,” Trump issued a decree by Truth Social demanding the Senate get rid of the filibuster to end the government shutdown.
The filibuster is a long-standing Senate rule that allows the minority to delay or block legislation by extending debate, effectively requiring 60 votes to advance most bills.
In order to do so, there would need to be a simple majority of 51 votes, when Republicans have 53 seats. Some GOP Senators have said they are open to it, but many have not.
Thom Tillis (GOP-NC) said last week the “filibuster is not going away this Congress … I think Republicans have made that very clear.”
Others who have voiced opposition include Lisa Murkowski, John Cornyn, and James Lankford.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has previously ruled out eliminating or weakening the 60-vote threshold, describing it as a “bulwark against a lot of really bad things.”