On October 31, 2025, US President Donald Trump urged Republican lawmakers to take immediate action to abolish the Senate’s filibuster in order to break through Democratic opposition and end the 30-day federal government shutdown. Trump made this call on his social media platform, Truth Social, emphasizing the need to activate the so-called Nuclear Option.
In a lengthy post, Trump mentioned his recent Asia trip where he met with multiple foreign leaders, highlighting progress in trade agreements and the influx of funds due to tariff policies and his overwhelming victory in the 2024 presidential election. He criticized the Democrats for losing rationality and falling into what he called “Trump Derangement Syndrome”, accusing them of attempting to divert billions of dollars from the healthcare system and subsidizing illegal immigrants, including those from prisons and mental institutions. Trump emphasized that the Republican Party would not allow such things to happen.
Trump advocated for the Republican Party to abolish the filibuster rule while in power, allowing for legislation to be pushed through with a simple majority and government operations to be restored. He warned that if the Republicans did not seize the opportunity to abolish the rule during their tenure, the Democrats would do so if they regained power, potentially changing the dynamics of the Senate and electoral votes.
He mentioned previous attempts by the Democrats, under Obama and former majority leader Harry Reid, to abolish the rule which were unsuccessful, suggesting that the Republicans should counter in a similar way. The filibuster, also known as obstruction of proceedings, is a traditional rule in the US Senate that allows minority senators to block a vote on a bill through lengthy debate. Ending the debate and proceeding to a vote requires a 60-vote agreement. Abolishing this rule requires a simple majority, known as the Nuclear Option.
Since the start of the new fiscal year on October 1, the federal government has been in shutdown due to the lack of consensus between the two parties on spending bills. The Republicans propose passing a short-term funding bill until November 21, followed by discussions on tax and healthcare issues, while the Democrats seek an extension of tax breaks under the Affordable Care Act.
With the Senate’s current composition of 100 seats, the Republicans hold a slim majority of 53 to 47, but the 60-vote threshold under the filibuster rule has hindered progress. The Senate has faced 13 setbacks in passing the Republican-led funding bill due to the lack of Democratic support, prolonging the government shutdown.
Approximately 750,000 federal employees are on forced leave, with some government workers operating without pay. The Trump administration has ensured salaries for military, law enforcement, and immigration officials, but most civilian agencies remain stalled. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the shutdown could reduce the US GDP by up to 2% in the fourth quarter, leading to economic losses between $70 billion and $140 billion.
Overall, President Trump’s call to abolish the filibuster rule has become a focal point in the efforts to resolve the government shutdown and restore normal operations. The political standoff between the Republicans and Democrats continues to impact government functions and the economy, underscoring the urgent need for bipartisan cooperation to reach a resolution.