President Trump urges Senate Republicans to abolish filibuster to end government shutdown
Republicans strongly oppose ending the filibuster, even though President Trump has called for it to end the government shutdown.
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said in a wide-ranging interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes” that immigration enforcement officials are “not going far enough” to deport people who enter the country without legal authorization.
President Trump also assured Norah O’Donnell that China would not invade Taiwan while he was president. He said the topic did not come up in his Oct. 30 meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
And President Trump called for an end to the Senate filibuster, which allows a small number of senators to block controversial legislation, as a way to end the government shutdown.
Here’s what you need to know about the interview, which took place on October 31st at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
President Trump: ICE officials are ‘not doing enough’
O’Donnell asked Trump whether Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had gone too far, attacking his mother, using tear gas in the Chicago area and breaking car windows.
“No, I don’t think they’ve gone far enough because we’ve been held back by the judges, liberal judges appointed by Biden and Obama,” Trump said.
O’Donnell went on to ask whether Trump agreed with these tactics.
“Yes, because we have to get people out,” Trump said. “You have to look at the people. Many of them are murderers. Many of them are people who were kicked out of the country because they were criminals.”
President Trump: “We can’t give away secrets” about China meeting
O’Donnell said if China violated Taiwan’s shipping lanes, airspace or cyberspace, it could become a flashpoint in international relations. She asked what President Trump would do in response.
President Trump declined to provide details about what would happen, but Mr. Xi said he understood the consequences would be significant. President Trump said the topic did not come up at the trade meeting in South Korea because the other countries’ understanding was very clear.
President Trump said, “I can’t give away my secrets.” “I don’t want to be the guy who tells you exactly what will happen if something happens.”
President Trump claimed that Mr. Xi knows what will happen if China attacks Taiwan.
“He’s said it publicly, and his associates have said it publicly in meetings, ‘We’re not going to do anything while President Trump is president,’ because they know the consequences,” Trump said.
President Trump says Maduro’s stay in Venezuela is over
The Trump administration sank several Venezuelan ships believed to be carrying drugs and sent an aircraft carrier to the area.
Trump declined to say whether he was aiming to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government, but said he had many days left.
“I think so. I think so,” President Trump said.
President Trump declined to comment on reports that he was considering attacks on Venezuelan territory in addition to attacks on ships.
“I’m not saying it’s true or false,” Trump said. “But I don’t talk to reporters about whether I’m going to go on strike, so I’m tempted to say I will.”
President Trump calls for end to filibuster
The government shutdown is expected to become the longest in history on November 5, and President Trump has said he expects Democrats will eventually agree to reopen the government.
Democrats have advocated restoring summer Medicaid funding cuts and extending subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.
“They’ve turned into crazy lunatics,” Trump said. “I’m not going to do it by extortion.”
President Trump has called on Republicans to abolish the Senate filibuster to avoid Congress blocking him from ending the government shutdown without Democratic cooperation. But Republican leaders oppose ending the legislative filibuster.
President Trump said, “Republicans have to get tougher.”
President Trump denies retaliation for prosecuting critics
The Justice Department secured indictments against Trump’s critics, including former National Security Adviser John Bolton, former FBI Director James Comey, and New York Attorney General Letitia James. But Trump denied that he had directed the Justice Department to prosecute his critics.
“No, not in any way, shape or form,” President Trump said.
President Trump said Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel independently pursued the opponents.
“Our honest people automatically go after them,” Trump said. “I think I had a very warm personality.”
President Trump calls Mamdani a “communist” during New York mayoral race
The New York mayoral election ends on November 4th. President Trump is campaigning against the election of Zoran Mamdani, who is the frontrunner in polls against former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
Trump interrupted O’Donnell’s description of Mamdani as a “democratic socialist” (a banner he has campaigned for), claiming that Mamdani is a “communist.”
President Trump said, “I’m not a socialist, I’m a communist.” “He’s much worse than a socialist.”
President Trump said the federal government would not support New York if Mamdani became mayor. “It’s going to be difficult to fund New York as president,” he added.
Mr. O’Donnell asked what he thought about people comparing Mr. Mamdani to Mr. Trump as a charismatic leader who broke old rules.
“Well, I think I’m a much better-looking guy than he is, right?” Trump said.
