Government shutdown live updates as impasse nears record length

President Trump late Sunday called again for the Senate to do away with the filibuster, the 60-vote threshold needed to advance most legislation. The comments come after he urged Republicans late last week to take “the Nuclear Option” to reopen the government without Democratic votes.

“TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER, NOT JUST FOR THE SHUTDOWN, BUT FOR EVERYTHING ELSE,” Mr. Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

The calls from the president come as some on the party’s right flank, like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, have likewise urged Senate Republicans to change the upper chamber’s rules to end the shutdown. But Senate Majority Leader John Thune favors preserving the filibuster, and a spokesperson said Friday that his position remains unchanged. 

The president responded to Thune’s position in an interview that aired on “60 Minutes” on Sunday, saying “I like John Thune. I think he’s terrific, but I disagree with him on this point.”

“The Republicans have to get tougher,” the president said. “If we end the filibuster, we can do exactly what we want.”

In the president’s latest call to end the filibuster, he suggested that the move would benefit Republicans more broadly, saying “WE WILL GET ALL OF OUR COMMON SENSE POLICIES APPROVED (VOTER ID, ANYONE?) AND MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Mr. Trump also suggested that Democrats would take their first opportunity to do away with the filibuster. 

“REMEMBER, THE DEMOCRATS WILL DO IT IMMEDIATELY, AS SOON AS THEY GET THE CHANCE,” Mr. Trump said. “OUR DOING IT WILL NOT GIVE THEM THE CHANCE. REPUBLICANS, BE TOUGH AND SMART!”