Trump Urges Scrapping Filibuster to End Shutdown

Returning from a week-long Asia trip, President Donald Trump urged Republicans on Truth Social to invoke the “nuclear option” and eliminate the Senate filibuster so the GOP’s 53-seat majority could pass funding legislation to immediately end the government shutdown. Scrapping the filibuster—which normally requires 60 votes—would let a simple majority advance short-term funding, but several Senate institutionalists and Republican senators, including John Thune, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, have resisted while others such as Tommy Tuberville and Josh Hawley signaled openness, leaving GOP unity uncertain. The shutdown has entered its 30th–31st day, disrupting services and air travel and threatening billions in economic losses, according to CBO estimates. Separately, former FBI director James Comey has asked a federal judge, Michael S. Nachmanoff, to dismiss perjury and obstruction charges, arguing prosecutors misused the grand jury, mischaracterized his testimony and failed to provide sufficient particulars; those motions could narrow or dispose of the case.