❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump called for the Senate to end the filibuster to resolve the government shutdown, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) says his stance against doing so remains unchanged.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and Thune’s spokesman Ryan Wrasse.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The statement from Thune’s spokesman was made on Friday following Trump’s post on Truth Social late Thursday night.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Leader Thune’s position on the importance of the legislative filibuster is unchanged.” – Ryan Wrasse
🎯IMPACT: The government shutdown continues with the Senate adjourned for the weekend, while the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) faces potential funding issues.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has indicated Republicans will not invoke the so-called “nuclear option” and enact a rule change to scrap the legislative filibuster, despite urging from President Donald J. Trump to do so. Thune spokesman, Ryan Wrasse, confirmed on Friday that the Senate Republican leader’s stance is “unchanged” and emphasized the filibuster’s role as a safeguard against undesirable legislation. “Leader Thune’s position on the importance of the legislative filibuster is unchanged,” Wrasse said.
Late Thursday, in a post on Truth Social, President Trump called on Senate Republicans to eliminate the 60-vote threshold required to advance most legislation to break the ongoing Democrat-caused government shutdown. The rule change would allow Republicans to pass funding measures without needing Democratic support.
The Senate has adjourned for the weekend, although discussions among members are expected to continue in an effort to end the shutdown. The situation is compounded by the looming expiration of funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which could impact 42 million Americans.
Thune has previously articulated that the filibuster serves as a critical barrier to prevent “a lot of really bad things” from happening. The National Pulse has previously reported that Sens. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) and John Fetterman (D-PA) have backed a push to end the filibuster. However, some longtime Capitol Hill observers warn that Republicans moving to end the filibuster may actually be the outcome Democrats desire most.
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