Speaker Johnson warns Trump’s ‘nuclear’ demand could backfire on Republicans
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House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., warned against President Donald Trump’s request for the Senate to invoke the “nuclear option” to end the government shutdown.
At Friday’s press conference, Johnson was asked about his late-night Truth Social post in which Trump demanded the Senate get rid of the filibuster and the 60-vote threshold to pass the GOP’s federal funding bill with a simple majority.
“Look, I’ll say this broadly, as I’ve said many times about the filibuster, it’s not my decision. I have no say in the matter. This is a Senate chamber matter,” Johnson said. “But thuggery has traditionally been seen as a very important protection. I don’t think our team would like it if the shoe was on the other foot.”
Sixty votes are needed in the Senate to overcome the filibuster and continue debate and a final vote on most pieces of legislation. Senate Democrats tried to get out of this the last time they held a majority to pass reforms they blamed Republicans for blocking, but were thwarted by more moderate members of their own party.
JOHNSON INCREASES LOCKDOWN PRESSURE ON DEMOCRATS AS GOP UNrest grows
Speaker Mike Johnson (left) and President Donald Trump (right) pressure Senate Democrats to end the government shutdown. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Francis Chung/Politico/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Johnson warned that if Republicans successfully get out of this situation with a move popularly known as the “nuclear option,” Democrats will use that standard to pass progressive policies in the future, sidelining the GOP.
“Look what the Democrats said they were going to do. They’re going to pack the Supreme Court. They’re going to create the statehood of Puerto Rico and D.C. They’re going to ban firearms. They’re going to do all kinds of things that are going to be very damaging to the country, and the protection in the Senate has always been the filibuster,” Johnson said. “But again, it’s not my problem, it’s not even something I can think about.”
The shutdown is in its 31st day after Senate Democrats blocked the GOP from advancing the short-term federal funding bill 13 times since Sept. 19.
According to current tallies, five more Senate Democrats would need to vote with Republicans to overcome the filibuster.
TRUMP CALLED GOP TO ‘END THE SHUTDOWN’ BY TAKING NUCLEAR ACTION IN THE SENATE FILIBUSTER
Senate Majority Leader John Thune holds a copy of the continuing resolution as he speaks alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson at a news conference at Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol in Washington on October 3, 2025. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Apparently fed up with the stalemate, Trump posted late Thursday night: “It’s time for Republicans to play their ‘TRUMP CARDS’ and turn to the so-called Nuclear Option – Get rid of the Filibuster and get rid of it NOW!”
“Not long ago, when Democrats were in power, they fought for three years to do this, but they couldn’t because of Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. Democrats had never fought so hard to get anything done because they knew ending the Filibuster would give them tremendous power,” Trump said.
“Well, WE are in power now, and if we did what we had to do, this nonsense, the ‘SHUT UP’ that is destroying the Country, would end IMMEDIATELY. If the Democrats ever come back to power, which will be easier for the Republicans if they don’t use the Great Power and Policies given to us by ending the Filibuster, the Democrats will exercise their right and it will be done on the first day in office, whether we do it or not.”
Johnson said he interpreted this as Trump expressing his frustration with the situation.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, DY, during a press conference at the Capitol in Washington on June 3, 2025. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
“What you’re seeing is an expression of the president’s anger at the situation. He’s as angry as I am, and the American people are angry at this madness,” Johnson said. “He desperately wants the government to reopen so all these resources can flow to the people who need it so much.”
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While the Senate GOP has already gone nuclear once this year to confirm Trump’s nominees, they are unlikely to do so again, especially to eviscerate the filibuster.
“[Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s] “Attitudes regarding the importance of legal fraud have not changed,” Thune spokesman Ryan Wrasse said in a statement.
