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Speaker Johnson warns against Trump's demand for Senate to go 'nuclear' to end shutdown
Fox News ^ | 10/31/2025 | Elizabeth Elkind , Alex Miller

Posted on 10/31/2025 10:19:44 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., warned against President Donald Trump's demand for the Senate to invoke the "nuclear option" to end the government shutdown.

Johnson was asked during his Friday press conference about a late-night Truth Social post in which Trump demanded the Senate get rid of the filibuster and its 60-vote threshold to ram through the GOP's federal funding bill by a simple majority.

"Look, I'll just say this in general, as I've said many times about the filibuster, it's not my call. I don't have a say in this. It's a Senate chamber issue," Johnson said. "But the filibuster has traditionally been viewed as a very important safeguard. If the shoe was on the other foot, I don't think our team would like it."

Sixty votes are required in the Senate to overcome a filibuster and proceed with debate and a final vote on most pieces of legislation. Senate Democrats attempted to get rid of it when they last held the majority in order to pass reforms that they accused Republicans of blocking, but they were blocked by more moderate members of their own party.

If Republicans successfully got rid of it now with a move colloquially known as the "nuclear option," Johnson warned Democrats would then use that standard in the future to pass progressive policies while sidelining the GOP.

"The Democrats, look, they've said what they would do. They would pack the Supreme Court. They would make Puerto Rico and D.C. states. They would ban firearms. They would do all sorts of things that would be very harmful for the country, and the safeguard in the Senate has always been the filibuster," Johnson said. "But again, not my issue, not something I get to even weigh in on."

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Constitution/Conservatism; Government
KEYWORDS: filibuster; magamike; maralagomike; nuclearoption; nucular; senate; shutdown
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At the current tallies, five more Senate Democrats are needed to vote with Republicans to overcome the filibuster.
1 posted on 10/31/2025 10:19:44 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Donald would be better off using Musk to put primary pressure on AK and KT Senators.
Collins is just a follower and will do what she is told.


2 posted on 10/31/2025 10:25:49 AM PDT by Zathras
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To: SeekAndFind

Trump just wants to be on record as suggesting it as a means to end it. He can let the Senate explain why not. It’s a way for the Senate to actually take control of the narrative and pants Schumer like they should be doing daily.


3 posted on 10/31/2025 10:26:12 AM PDT by HYPOCRACY (Wake up, smell the cat food in your bank account. )
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To: SeekAndFind

This would be a huge mistake. I don’t want to push through anything that could potentially hand power over to those who hate America. Trump should think of the current Democrat party as enemy combatants against the United States - because they are.


4 posted on 10/31/2025 10:27:53 AM PDT by neverevergiveup
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To: SeekAndFind
Google sez:
History
2013:
Senate Democrats, led by Harry Reid, first used the nuclear option to eliminate the 60-vote filibuster for lower court judicial nominees and most executive branch nominees.

2017:
Senate Republicans used the nuclear option again to lower the threshold to 51 votes for Supreme Court nominees, which allowed them to confirm Justice Neil Gorsuch.

I see no reason the Repubs can't change it further to address clean CRs. If the Dems were to get back in power and put up a clean CR, I would be happy with them using such a change.

Although I'm sure the usual suspects on our side would vote "No" to a change.

5 posted on 10/31/2025 10:28:24 AM PDT by grobdriver (The CDC can KMA!)
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To: SeekAndFind
There is no way I would support getting rid of the filibuster in the current congress. Look at this photo, you will understand why the filibuster is necessary.

This photo proves we need the filibuster. The GOP will give Democrats everything Democrats want if the GOP is no longer stopped by the filibuster, once Trump is gone.

6 posted on 10/31/2025 10:34:58 AM PDT by ProgressingAmerica (We cannot vote our way out of these problems. The only way out is to activist our way out.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Only reason I think to rid the nuclear option is when you know your opposition wont have power ever.

So the moment the Democrats have power they will use that option. If the Republicans do away with the filibuster, then they better be prepared for scorched earth tactics and legislation after that. They can never let the Democrats become a leading party ever again.


7 posted on 10/31/2025 10:35:20 AM PDT by Bayard
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To: SeekAndFind

Ending the filibuster lets the Dems off the hook, and opens up future trouble. Much better to let them take the hit for their idiotic extortion attempt, and learn a lesson.


8 posted on 10/31/2025 10:36:02 AM PDT by Chewbarkah
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To: HYPOCRACY

Trump just wants to be on record as suggesting it as a means to end it...

I agree


9 posted on 10/31/2025 10:37:57 AM PDT by Java4Jay (The evils of government are directly proportional to the tolerance of the people. )
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To: grobdriver
Nominees are not a means test for legislation.
Apples and watermelons, not oranges.
10 posted on 10/31/2025 10:38:11 AM PDT by philman_36 (Pride breakfasted with plenty, dined with poverty and supped with infamy. Benjamin Franklin)
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To: SeekAndFind

Not going to be Speaker for long!


11 posted on 10/31/2025 10:42:04 AM PDT by Theophilus (covfefe)
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To: SeekAndFind

The Democrats will get rid of the filibuster as soon as they get a Senate majority. Who thinks otherwise?


12 posted on 10/31/2025 10:48:15 AM PDT by pleasenotcalifornia
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To: SeekAndFind

Democrats would have used the nuclear option by now, And they’ve used it before. And if they ever get the majority back, they will go nuclear every time they need it.

Democrats are just opposing anything that Trump and republicans want, and the country is secondary to their party.

It’s STUPID to rule expecting democrats to ever do anything in the best interest of the country. Democrats will only do whatever they believe is in the best interest of the Democratic Party.

Democrats lost big in 2024, and they’re not going to do anything which even slightly points to republicans and/or Trump doing what’s right. Democrats are just looking ahead towards the next election, and they believe that shutting down the government and blaming republicans is their best political move.

Instead of keeping the government shut down, turn it around and shut the democrats out of the shutdown decision.


13 posted on 10/31/2025 10:49:06 AM PDT by adorno ( )
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To: Zathras

Collins is VERY powerful as she heads the Appropriations Committee. Her State loves her....she brings home the bacon.


14 posted on 10/31/2025 10:49:55 AM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: neverevergiveup
I don’t want to push through anything that could potentially hand power over to those who hate America.

Democrats have that power now, even as they are not in the majority. If they were in the majority, they would keep the republicans out of any shutdown decision. It's party first for the democrats, and the country can just suffer, which is what the democrats are hoping for. Blaming republicans for the shutdown is good for their democrat party.

The country gave republicans the power to rule, not the democrats.
15 posted on 10/31/2025 10:53:18 AM PDT by adorno ( )
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To: neverevergiveup

The democrats are holding out because the have planned a big surrounding of the WH on the 5th of November. No food stamps will help increase their numbers for a high turnout.

They have chaos planned. Certain entities that usually support their BS are wanting them to vote for the clean CR because they want no part of what is planned and are distancing themselves.

What a mess.


16 posted on 10/31/2025 10:54:44 AM PDT by dforest
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To: SeekAndFind

If you’re worried about what democrats MIGHT do if they get back in power and the filibuster is gone, just be aware that the first thing they MIGHT do is get rid of the filibuster themselves, then do whatever they want - make DC and PR states, increase the size of Scotus, etc.

Fear of tomorrow is paralyzing today.

Plus if Senate has the power to eliminate the filibuster they also have the power to put it back before a democrat takeover, don’t they?


17 posted on 10/31/2025 10:56:51 AM PDT by bigbob (We are all Charlie Kirk now,)
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To: SeekAndFind

No guarantee that they could get even 50 votes to try it


18 posted on 10/31/2025 10:57:11 AM PDT by digger48
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To: Theophilus

He’s been doing a better job than expected, why wouldn’t Johnson remain Speaker?

A single member can’t do Jethro Gaetz now to force him out since they changed that rule


19 posted on 10/31/2025 11:02:25 AM PDT by digger48
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To: SeekAndFind

Give the Democrats control of the legislature without a filibuster to temper them and how far behind before we have meme police knocking on the door, guns grabbed, required mail voting, gender references eliminated,mandated discrimination, trillions spent on green nonsense,and a packed court let by Chief Justice Ketanji Jackson affirming it all and allowing them to take every one of our constitutional rights away,


20 posted on 10/31/2025 11:09:05 AM PDT by chuckee
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