President Trump’s call to “nuke” the Senate filibuster to force open the government after a 30-day shutdown sent shockwaves through Capitol Hill today.
House Speaker Mike Johnson slammed the suggestion as nothing more than “an expression of the president’s anger” while insisting Republicans will not abandon the filibuster lightly.
“This shutdown madness has everyone furious,” Johnson said at a Friday press briefing. “But we won’t discard one of our most important checks and balances on a temper tantrum.”
Johnson made it crystal clear: the filibuster remains off-limits. “It’s a Senate chamber issue,” he stated. “Not my call, not anyone in the House. But history shows the filibuster is essential—and if the shoe were on the other foot, Democrats wouldn’t stand for giving it up.”
Republicans know all too well what happens when you hand the majority unchecked power. Democrats have openly threatened court-packing, statehood for D.C. and Puerto Rico, even broad gun bans. Erasing the filibuster would pave the way for every radical demand.
Senate conservatives have held the line. A simple majority vote can’t override entrenched Senate rules without triggering chaos. Johnson warns that using the so-called “nuclear option” now would set a precedent that future Democrats would exploit mercilessly.
Instead, Johnson is urging Senate leaders to sharpen their negotiating stance: tie funding bills to real reforms and protect border security. He insists there are plenty of levers short of rule-wrecking to end the shutdown.
Republican governors, business leaders and everyday Americans are already clamoring for a swift resolution. They demand practical solutions, not scorched-earth tactics that weaken institutional safeguards.
Speaker Johnson’s message is unmistakable: we will reopen the government, protect taxpayers, and preserve the filibuster. No temper tantrum—no matter how loud—will force us to surrender our leverage or our principles.
