As voters head to the polls on Election Day, President Donald Trump reiterated his call to abolish the Senate filibuster.
The appeal was part of a recurring effort, echoing similar demands he made during past legislative standoffs when he urged Republicans to invoke the “nuclear option,” — a change to Senate rules that would allow most legislation to pass with a simple majority instead of the usual 60 votes.
“The Democrats are far more likely to win the Midterms, and the next Presidential Election, if we don’t do the Termination of the Filibuster (The Nuclear Option!), because it will be impossible for Republicans to get Common Sense Policies done with these Crazed Democrat Lunatics being able to block everything by withholding their votes,” he wrote on Truth Social. “FOR THREE YEARS, NOTHING WILL BE PASSED, AND REPUBLICANS WILL BE BLAMED. Elections, including the Midterms, will be rightfully brutal.”
“If we do terminate the Filibuster, we will get EVERYTHING approved, like no Congress in History,” he continued. “We will have FAIR, FREE, and SAFE Elections, No Men in Women’s Sports or Transgender for Everybody, Strong Borders, Major Tax and Energy Cuts, and will secure our Second Amendment, which the Democrats will also terminate, IMMEDIATELY. If we don’t do it, they are far more likely to do well in the upcoming Elections, which would mean a PACKED Supreme Court, 2 more States and 4 more Democrat Senators (D.C. and Puerto Rico), and 8 more Electoral Votes.”
Trump characterized Democratic senators as being ready to abolish the filibuster themselves, claiming that only retiring Sen. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema prevented its removal when Democrats controlled the chamber.
“Remember, Republicans, they are going to end the Filibuster as soon as they get the chance,” he cautioned. “We know this because they already tried, and the only two people who didn’t go along are now out of office. But they have much less chance of WINNING if we have Great Policy Wins after Wins after Wins. IN FACT, THEY WILL LOSE BIG, AND FOR A VERY LONG TIME. TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER NOW, END THE RIDICULOUS SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATELY, AND THEN, MOST IMPORTANTLY, PASS EVERY WONDERFUL REPUBLICAN POLICY THAT WE HAVE DREAMT OF, FOR YEARS, BUT NEVER GOTTEN. WE WILL BE THE PARTY THAT CANNOT BE BEATEN – THE SMART PARTY!!!”
This pressure occurred during the 31-day shutdown and intensified as critical programs such as SNAP benefits and ACA health insurance faced lapses due to a congressional stalemate.
Democrats have aggressively campaigned to weaken or abolish the filibuster during their periods of control, in particular during the Biden administration. Their main targets included voting rights expansion, codifying abortion rights, and gun reform legislation. Numerous Democratic senators and candidates endorsed various reform proposals, including shifting to a “talking filibuster” or scrapping the 60-vote threshold entirely.
Many leading Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson, have opposed abolishing the filibuster, pointing out that Democrats would push extreme policies unchecked if they regain the majority, such as statehood for Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, gun control, and court packing.
The Senate filibuster is a cornerstone of American legislative procedure. It allows a minority of senators to extend debate on a pending bill indefinitely, preventing a final vote unless three-fifths (60 out of 100) senators agree to end the discussion, an action known as “invoking cloture.” This mechanism means that even a small group of senators — or a single determined senator — can derail or postpone legislation if the majority cannot unite on 60 votes.
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