Trump intensifies push for GOP senators to end filibuster ‘before it is too late’

Administration Trump intensifies push for GOP senators to end filibuster ‘before it is too late’ Comments: by Elliott Davis - 07/26/26 8:02 AM ET Comments: Link copied by Elliott Davis - 07/26/26 8:02 AM ET Comments: Link copied

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President Trump late Saturday night once again urged Republican senators to “terminate the filibuster” in an effort to pass his oft-championed voting bill and other legislation “before it’s too late.”

“The all Republican Senators! Terminate the Filibuster, which the Dumocrats will do as soon as they get the chance, and PASS THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, and everything else, including the Budget, and upcoming Debt Ceiling. Do it now, before it is too late!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, concluding the post with his initials, which usually emphasizes that he personally wrote the message.

The president has repeatedly called on Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and other GOP senators to abolish the filibuster so they can pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act with a simple majority vote. Thune, however, has in turn repeatedly pushed back on that demand by declaring there aren’t nearly enough Republican votes to abolish the filibuster rule.

The back-and-forth, which took a turn earlier this week when White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump’s “patience is running out” over the Senate’s inability to pass the voting reform bill, has led to rising tensions between the White House and Thune.

The House has passed provisions from versions of the Save America Act, but the bill — which would amend federal election law and impose new proof of citizenship requirements — has stalled in the Senate.

The Senate majority leader himself bristled when asked about Leavitt’s statement on Thursday.

“Maybe she or somebody else ought to get on the phone and get the votes. Right? It’s 50 around here,” Thune said.

“Instead of pointing the finger at Republicans, they might think about going after the people who are stopping it on the floor, which is the Democrats,” the senator added, appearing somewhat irritated by the critical comment from Leavitt. “And if there are Republicans they think are gettable, get on the phone.”

Trump’s latest push comes as Democrats are favored to win the House in November but are slight underdogs in the fight for the Senate with 100 days to go before the midterm elections, according to the latest forecast from Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ).

DDHQ forecasts Democrats winning a 15-seat advantage in a 225-210 House, while Republicans narrowly retain power in a 50-50 Senate, with Vice President Vance serving as the tiebreaker vote. As of late July, Democrats had a 60 percent probability of winning the lower chamber, while Republicans had a 60 percent chance of holding the Senate.

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