President Donald Trump urged congressional Republicans to end the government shutdown by scrapping the Senate filibuster.
On Thursday, October 30, the president turned to his Truth Social platform and declared that the Republicans need to play their "Trump Card".
Calling to get rid of the filibuster, and calling it a "nuclear option", Trump noted, "WE are in power, and if we did what we should be doing [end the filibuster], it would IMMEDIATELY end this ridiculous, Country destroying 'SHUT DOWN'."
What is a Senate filibuster?
A filibuster is a longstanding parliamentary procedure in which one or more members of a legislative body engage in prolonged debate on proposed legislation so as to delay or entirely prevent a decision.
The Senate requires a supermajority, 60 of the chamber's 100 members, to overcome a filibuster and pass most legislation.
According to CNN, the unprecedented step that GOP leaders have firmly opposed until now, as it also benefits Republicans, will serve as a key safeguard against Democrats passing transformative legislation the next time they are in power.
Notably, Trump on Thursday appeared to abruptly change course, arguing that Republicans should take advantage of their Senate majority to end the filibuster and reopen the government.
The White House on Thursday also sought to highlight the stress that the shutdown is putting on air traffic controllers by convening a roundtable of airline industry representatives and union leaders.
