John Thune, the Senate Majority leader, told reporters on Monday that he did not have enough votes to end the filibuster, despite President Trump's continuing support for the so-called 'nuclear option.'
“The votes aren’t there,” the South Dakota Republican told reporters. When asked if he had discussed the issue with President Trump, Thune replied, “Oh, yeah.”
President Trump wrote on Truth Social last week, “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!”
He has continued to voice that position on Truth Social over the last couple of days, and even doubled down on it during a "60 Minutes" interview released on Sunday.
🚨 JUST NOW: President Trump INSISTS Senate Republicans terminate the filibuster, meaning only 51 votes are needed, or else Democrats will likely "WIN THE MIDTERMS" AND 2028
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 4, 2025
"Because it will be impossible for Republicans to get Common Sense Policies done with these Crazed… pic.twitter.com/M3bQ0bDi6u
“I know John doesn’t – well, John and a few others – but you know what, the Republicans have to get tougher,” Trump said on "60 Minutes." “I disagree with him on this point."
“I think we should do the nuclear option,” says President Trump of the government shutdown. “This is a totally different nuclear, by the way. It's called ending the filibuster.” https://t.co/GI4BCgOvby pic.twitter.com/RcQ7zqXT05
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) November 3, 2025
Senator Thune, in his first speech on the Senate floor, defended the filibuster as a tool to ensure that the Senate remains the Senate.
“They made the Senate smaller and senators’ terms of office longer, with the intention of creating a more stable, more thoughtful, and more deliberative legislative body to check ill-considered or intemperate legislation and protect the rights of the American people,” he said.
Under President Joe Biden, Senate Democrats attempted and failed to eliminate the filibuster.