Trump presses Senate to scrap filibuster as shutdown hits 36 days
Trump presses Senate to scrap filibuster as shutdown hits 36 days at a White House breakfast on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025.
President Donald Trump urged Republican senators to end the filibuster so they could pass government funding with a simple majority and halt the shutdown, the longest on record. Senate Majority Leader John Thune later dismissed the idea, saying a rules change lacks support and is “not happening.” Republicans now hold a 53–47 Senate majority.
“It’s time for Republicans to do what they have to do, and that’s terminate the filibuster,” Trump said during a breakfast meeting with GOP senators at the White House.
Trump linked the shutdown to Republican setbacks in Tuesday’s elections, calling it a “big factor, negative” in contests for governor in Virginia and New Jersey and the New York City mayor’s race.
Democrats urged Trump to engage directly on a deal and pressed to resolve expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies that are central to talks. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer argued that voters expect the White House to work with Congress to end the impasse.
House Speaker Mike Johnson labeled the shutdown a “sad landmark,” waved off concerns about GOP election losses, and insisted Democrats postpone their health care demands until after agencies reopen.
The effects of the shutdown are widening. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees are furloughed or working without pay. Program cuts are spreading, and airports are seeing more delays. The Federal Aviation Administration plans to reduce air traffic starting Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in major markets.
A bipartisan group of centrist senators is testing support for a narrow agreement to restore normal budgeting and pass smaller bills covering areas such as agriculture and military construction. Some Democrats question whether any Senate deal will hold without Trump’s explicit backing, pointing to recent limits on SNAP food aid despite court orders.
“It would be very strange for the American people to have weighed in… and within days for us to surrender without having achieved any of the things that we’ve been fighting for,” observed Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut.
A central dispute involves enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies that expire at year’s end. Premium notices are rising as the tax credits phase out. Many Republicans are reluctant to extend the subsidies without policy changes, and negotiations on health provisions are expected to take time. Thune has pledged Democrats a vote on their preferred approach as part of any reopening deal.
Trump’s posture differs from the 35-day partial shutdown during his first term over border wall funding, when he held public talks before backing down. This year, he has made a few trips to Capitol Hill and maintained a busy travel schedule, including events at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.
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