Immediately Do It – President Trump Issues Order
As the federal government shutdown entered its thirty-seventh day, the longest in U.S. history, the Senate met again today amid a tense and worn-out mood.
Normally crowded with journalists and personnel, the hallways felt heavier than usual, laden with political exhaustion and discontent.
Behind closed doors, the impasse between President Donald Trump and congressional leaders has reached a breaking point. Trump is calling on Senate Republicans to remove the filibuster, a radical move that might permanently alter the legislative branch.
President Trump has been pressuring Senate Majority Leader John Thune to “go nuclear,” insisting that Republicans abandon the long-standing rule that most legislation need 60 votes to pass, according to multiple sources.
Trump makes the straightforward claim that the filibuster is impeding advancement.
He reiterated that message during a heated press conference this morning at the Oval Office.
Trump, surrounded by media and advisors, declared, “It’s time for them to end the filibuster and put everybody back to work.”
“Except for military personnel, vote with your voter ID. We could handle one-day voting, safe borders, and just immigration rules on our own.
Following a particularly contentious breakfast meeting with several influential Republican senators the day before, including Lindsey Graham, who has long been seen as one of Trump’s closest allies on Capitol Hill, the president made the call.
Graham warned Trump against making aggressive demands that might split the party or backfire politically, according to people with knowledge of the conversation.
Trump reportedly retorted, “Lindsey, you and I both know there’s so much you can’t do with reconciliation,” in reference to the narrow procedural instrument that permits some budget-related bills to pass with a simple majority. Trump was clearly irritated.
Trump threw his napkin on the table and threatened to end the party if we didn’t take action right away.
The conversation highlighted the growing rift among Republicans.
Traditionalists like Thune consider the filibuster as an essential protection for stability and bipartisan cooperation, while Trump’s supporters see it as an antiquated barrier that gives the minority party control.
Thune has defended the rule in public, referring to it as “a guardrail against legislative chaos.”
However, even he admits that the pressure is increasing.
In the Capitol hallway, he told reporters, “I think everyone’s feeling the strain.”
“We must maintain the Senate as an institution while also reopening the government. Now, that equilibrium is being put to the test.
Democrats are surreptitiously attempting to resolve the problem on their own.
According to reports, Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have been discussing a small package of funds that would reopen some government agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture and Transportation, through January of next year.
Although it would still need 60 votes to pass, the plan might help thousands of federal employees who are currently suffering from the closure.
Now, the main source of contention is that procedural obstacle.
Democrats, on the other hand, are not in the mood to support Trump.
If a temporary financing agreement includes a commitment to future votes on healthcare subsidies and climate legislation that the White House has always opposed, some Democratic caucus members say they are willing to negotiate.
Sen. Chris Murphy declared, “We will not be intimidated into changing the Senate rulebook simply because the President lost patience.”
“Democracy does not operate that way.”
Trump, however, is placing a wager that the public’s annoyance with the closure will benefit him.
According to reports, his aides have been examining polling data in recent days that indicates a general outrage over unpaid federal employees and a decline in public trust in Congress.
One senior aide stated in private that “people are tired of excuses.”
“The President’s message is that he wants action.”
Trump’s comments today went beyond the shutdown itself, portraying the filibuster battle as a larger battle for control of the nation’s course.
Trump yelled, “They’re going to pack the court, they’re going to make Puerto Rico a state, they’re going to make D.C. a state.”
“They’ll give it their all. Additionally, Republicans will never win another election if we do nothing now.
Democrats and even some moderate Republicans swiftly denounced the statement, accusing Trump of inciting fear and eroding Senate customs.
Nonetheless, the President’s support is responding favorably to his tough attitude.
His proposal to remove the filibuster has garnered support from conservative media sites and influencers, who have framed it as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to “drain the swamp” and advance long-delayed Republican agendas.
Within hours of Trump’s press conference, hashtags like #EndTheFilibuster and #DoItNow started to trend online.
Proponents contend that the Republican Party has squandered too many years engaging in negotiations with Democrats, who they believe never negotiate honestly.
Outside the Capitol, an activist declared, “At last, we have a president who is willing to play hardball.”
“Republicans need to come out of hiding behind the rules.”
But the atmosphere inside the Senate chamber is still hazy.
Lawmakers understand that putting an end to the filibuster would drastically alter the way the institution functions.
Without bipartisan participation, it would enable the party with a slim majority to enact significant changes to everything from voting rights to immigration policy to tax legislation.
Many senators are hesitant to cross that line because they know it might be used against them in the event that power changes.
One top Republican aide stated, “Once you blow up the rules, there’s no going back.”
“You may have a short-term victory, but you will ultimately lose the Senate.”
The political costs are mounting as the closure drags on.
National parks are still closed, federal employees nationwide are still not getting paid, and important agencies are having difficulty running.
While small firms that depend on federal contracts are on the verge of bankruptcy, airports have reported more delays as TSA workers call in sick.
Protests are growing in large cities as public patience wears thin.
There aren’t many indications of compromise in spite of the mayhem.
Without a promise to “real border security,” which includes physical barriers, the White House maintains that it would not reopen government.
Democrats are unwilling to accept financing for a “symbolic wall.”
A tired Senate sits between the two seats, attempting to manage the constitutional dilemma as well as the human cost that is being felt outside its marble walls.
Trump’s demand to “do it immediately” may or may not lead to action or more stalemate.
The president has made it clear that he views the filibuster as an antiquated practice, and his party’s readiness to oppose him might soon decide not only the shutdown’s outcome but also the Senate’s destiny.
Late Thursday night, a seasoned member said, shaking his head as he left the floor, “We’ve had showdowns before, but this one feels different.” It feels like something is about to crack with this one.
At the conclusion of the day, there was no agreement, no vote planned, and no sign of a compromise.
What started out as a disagreement over the budget has turned into a basic conflict over authority and procedure.
The President’s comments, “End it now, or we’ll never fix America,” are still reverberating throughout the Capitol as Washington prepares for another week of political brinkmanship.
