President Donald Trump urged Republicans to abolish the filibuster and push through his top legislative priorities, suggesting that GOP senators have been too patient as Democrats block legislation.
Trump took to Truth Social early Thursday morning and asked, “When is ‘enough, enough’ for our Republican Senators[?]”
“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. TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER, and get our airports, and everything else, moving again,” Trump added. “Also, add the complete, all five items, SAVE AMERICA ACT items. Go for the Gold!!!”
The GOP-led Senate remains deadlocked in a fight over funding for the Department of Homeland Security and the passage of the SAVE America Act, which Trump has said is the most important legislation before Congress. Democrats have remained mostly united in their demands for any Homeland Security funding bill to include reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and every Democratic senator has come out in opposition to the SAVE America Act.
With 60 votes needed to overcome the filibuster, the Democratic unity has derailed Republicans’ recent efforts to pass the SAVE America Act and to approve a spending bill that would get the Homeland Security Department back on track.
As the latest Senate fight plays out, Trump is once again urging Republicans to abolish the filibuster. The president also recently endorsed a proposal from some conservative senators to impose a talking filibuster, which would force Democrats to speak nonstop on the Senate floor to block a vote.
So far, Republican leadership has pushed back against calls to change Senate rules to either eliminate the filibuster or adopt a talking filibuster. A large group of Republicans argues that touching the filibuster in any way would come back to bite the party in the long run, as Democrats would cram through their leftist agenda the next time they took control of the upper chamber.
Other Republicans, including Trump, argue that Republicans should abolish the filibuster to pass important legislation now while they control the White House and both chambers of Congress, claiming that Democrats would push to get rid of the filibuster whenever they resume control.
Trump suggested on Thursday that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), whom he called “a desperate, crippled politician,” would soon make a deal with Republicans to pass legislation “because he thinks that if he doesn’t, Republicans will TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER.”
Trump added that Republicans should ditch the filibuster “whether he makes a deal or not!!!”
Democratic lawmakers have been blasted by the White House for blocking a funding extension for the Department of Homeland Security. The DHS funding fight has led to a major strain on airports as hundreds of TSA employees have opted to quit instead of working without receiving a paycheck.
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