Speaker of the House Mike Johnson split with President Trump on Friday, after he warned against using the "nuclear option," bringing an end ot the filibuster, in an attempt to end the government shutdown.
In a Truth Social post on Thursday night, President Trump wrote: "….BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE GONE STONE COLD “CRAZY,” THE CHOICE IS CLEAR — INITIATE THE 'NUCLEAR OPTION,' GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
When asked about the post on Friday by reporters, Speaker Johnson of Louisiana said, "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. 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 to overcome a filibuster and proceed with debate and a final vote on any legislation in the Senate. Republicans have a slim majority, with only 53 seats. As of Friday, only three moderate Democratic Senators have elected to join the Republicans and pass the temporary funding bill.
"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."
Speaker Johnson said he interpreted Trump's post as expressing frustration with the shutdown. The President posted late on Thursday night, "It is now time for the Republicans to play their ‘TRUMP CARD,’ and go for what is called the Nuclear Option — Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!"
"Just a short while ago, the Democrats, while in power, fought for three years to do this, but were unable to pull it off because of Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. Never have the Democrats fought so hard to do something because they knew the tremendous strength that terminating the Filibuster would give them," Trump continued.
"Well, now WE are in power, and if we did what we should be doing, it would IMMEDIATELY end this ridiculous, Country destroying ‘SHUT DOWN.’ If the Democrats ever came back into power, which would be made easier for them if the Republicans are not using the Great Strength and Policies made available to us by ending the Filibuster, the Democrats will exercise their rights, and it will be done in the first day they take office, regardless of whether or not we do it."
"What you're seeing is an expression of the president's anger at the situation. He is as angry as I am, and the American people are, about this madness," Johnson said. "He just desperately wants the government to be reopened so that all these resources can flow to the people who need it so much."
The ball is in the Democrats' court; the fallout from the shutdown will lie with them. Republicans don’t need to take any drastic action either way.