Trump urges GOP to ‘end shutdown’ by using nuclear weapons in Senate filibuster
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President Donald Trump on Thursday urged Republicans to end the filibuster in order to end the month-long government shutdown.
In a late-night Truth Social post, Trump noted that Democrats tried to overturn Senate proceedings when they took control of both chambers of Congress and the White House during the Biden administration, but then-Sen. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema — both of whom have since left the Democratic Party to become independents — helped derail the effort.
Trump revived talk of the “nuclear option” after returning from his Asian tour this week.
Thune and the Republican Party refuse to pay government funding bills during the shutdown
President Donald Trump called on Republicans to end the filibuster in order to end the month-long government shutdown. (Chip Somodevila/Getty Images)
“But the one question I keep asking is how did the Democrats do Trump wrote: “They shut down the United States of America, and why did the powerful Republicans allow them to do it? The truth is that, during my return, I thought a lot about this question, why?”
The president praised Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson for “doing a great job,” but criticized Democrats as “crazy lunatics” suffering from “Trump confusion syndrome.”
“They want to take trillions of dollars from our health care system and give it to others, who don’t deserve it — people who came to our country illegally, many from prisons and mental institutions,” Trump wrote. “This will hurt American citizens, and Republicans will not let that happen.”
Republicans and Democrats remain deadlocked over how to end the shutdown, now in its fourth week, with both sides exchanging blame for the impasse.
Schumer accuses Trump of ‘skipping town’ during shutdown as president heads to Asia for trade talks
President Donald Trump suggested to Republicans to use the “nuclear option”, after returning to the United States after his trip to Asia. (Annabelle Gordon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Trump added that Republicans, who now control Congress and the White House, should play their “trump card” and move toward the “nuclear option.”
“Get rid of procrastination, get rid of it now!” books.
Trump added that Democrats “fought hard” to end the filibuster under Biden but failed. He said Republicans must now repeal the measure to advance their own agenda and end the shutdown.
“[I]“If we do what we have to do, it will immediately end this ridiculous lockdown that is ruining the country,” Trump said.
He added that Democrats “will do this on their first day” if they regain power.
Former Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema helped derail efforts by Democrats to end the filibuster during the Biden administration. (Getty Images/Reuters)
Trump added: “In addition to all the other things we’re going to have, like the best judges, the best American lawyers, the best of everything, this was a concept years ago that President Barack Hussein Obama and former Majority Leader Harry Reid had in order to take advantage of the Republicans. And now I want to do it in order to take advantage of the Democrats.”
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The president was referring to former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s 2013 decision to eliminate the 60-vote limit for most executive branch and judicial branch nominees. The Senate, with a Democratic majority, voted 52-48 in 2013 to eliminate the 60-vote requirement.