What would it take for lawmakers to reopen the government?
Millions of Americans face economic uncertainty as the government shuts down, leaving essential services stranded.
WASHINGTON – Republican President Donald Trump has called for the Senate to eliminate filibuster rules to avoid obstacles for Democrats as the government shutdown enters its 30th day.
The filibuster is a Senate rule that requires the consent of 60 out of 100 senators to pass most bills. Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate and a 219-213 majority in the House.
“It’s time for Republicans to play the ‘trump card’ and move forward with something called the nuclear option. Abolish the filibuster, abolish it now,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday, October 30th.
There was no end to the partial shutdown in sight by Oct. 30, as Senate Republicans urged Democrats to support stopgap funding measures through Nov. 21 and Democrats called for negotiations to extend expiring federal tax credits. Such credits help Americans purchase private health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.
The shutdown began Oct. 1, the first day of the 2026 federal fiscal year, after Republicans and Democrats in Congress were unable to agree on a bill to fund government services.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office announced on October 29 that the government shutdown will cost the U.S. economy between $7 billion and $14 billion, and the stalled government spending could reduce gross domestic product (GDP) by up to 2% in the fourth quarter.
“We are in power now, and if we do what we have to do, we will end this ridiculous, country-destroying ‘shutdown’ immediately,” President Trump wrote on October 30.
About 750,000 federal workers have been furloughed since federal funding ended. While the Trump administration has taken steps to pay military, federal law enforcement and immigration officials, other federal employees are working without pay.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Clarence Fernandez)
