Trump presses Senate Republicans to eliminate filibuster to advance his agenda
Key Takeaways
- •Trump urged Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster so they can advance his agenda and pass the SAVE America Act.
- •He made the remarks while traveling to Michigan, where he is scheduled to speak about the economy.
- •Sen. Mike Lee has also called for ending the filibuster and using the August recess to move Trump-backed legislation.
- •The filibuster is widely seen as unlikely to end because it requires 60 votes and the necessary support is not in place.
- •Trump warned that without eliminating the filibuster, the economy could drop to levels associated with the 1929 Great Depression.
President Donald Trump spoke with reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday and urged Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster so they can pass the legislation he wants.
Trump was traveling to Michigan, where he is scheduled to deliver a speech on the economy.
“All because of tariffs. All because of me. All because of Trump,” he said.
Asked about Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) and his relationship with the Senate leader, Trump said, “It’s fine. It’s fine. He’s got to get his job done. It’s fine. I have a good relationship with John Thune. He’s just got to get his job done. You got to get the SAVE America Act passed. Or better than that would be the filibuster. If you terminate the filibuster, everything happens. If you don’t terminate the filibuster, only bad things will happen. If you don’t terminate the filibuster, only bad things will happen.”
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) has made a similar argument in recent weeks, saying Republicans should forgo the August recess, eliminate the filibuster, pass the SAVE America Act and advance other parts of Trump’s agenda.
In an election year, the August recess is normally a time for lawmakers to return home and campaign. Lee is not up for reelection.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) has said he agrees with Lee, though he also is not facing reelection in 2026.
Eliminating the filibuster is widely considered unlikely because the votes are not there, and Democrats could take control of the U.S. Senate in November. Under current Senate rules, members can use a filibuster to block debate, and ending it requires a 60-vote supermajority. That threshold is one reason major legislation often stalls even when one party controls the chamber, making the rule a central obstacle for any effort to move Trump’s agenda quickly.
Even Sen. John Fetterman (D-Penn.) has said he supports keeping the filibuster.
Trump’s SAVE America Act also appears short of the votes needed to pass. About 50 senators currently support it, but there are not enough Republicans to approve it, and not enough Democrats willing to help end a filibuster.
Some lawmakers have suggested keeping a so-called “talking filibuster,” under which a senator would have to remain on the floor and speak continuously rather than simply threatening to block a vote. Trump and Lee, however, want to eliminate the filibuster entirely.
On Monday morning, Trump said that if the filibuster is not eliminated, the economy could fall to levels seen during the 1929 Great Depression.