US President Donald Trump called on Senate Republicans to change the chamber’s rules to bypass Democrats and secure funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a partial government shutdown continues to disrupt airport operations across the country.
In a strongly worded message on social media, Trump urged lawmakers to overturn the Senate rule that requires 60 votes to pass legislation.
“END THE FILIBUSTER and get our airports and everything else moving,” Trump wrote.
The president has grown increasingly frustrated with Republicans for failing to advance his legislative priorities, including funding for DHS and the controversial voter ID bill..
“When is ‘enough, enough’ for our Republican senators … something the crazy Democrats will do on day one,” he added.
A sharp attack on the Democrats
Trump also took aim at the Senate’s Democratic leadership, singling out Chuck Schumer in his remarks.
“Chuck Schumer, a desperate, crippled politician who has lost control of the radical left Democrats, is going to make a deal now because he thinks that if he doesn’t, the Republicans will END THE FILIBUSTER, which they should do whether he makes a deal or not!!!,” Trump said.
The comments come as partisan tensions escalate over immigration policy and DHS funding.
GOP resistance remains
Despite Trump’s push, Republican leaders have shown little appetite to change the Senate’s rules.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has repeatedly warned that the party lacks the votes to weaken or eliminate the filibuster, making such a move unlikely in the near future.
DHS shutdown and chaos at the airport
The funding impasse has left DHS agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), without payments for several weeks, exacerbating staff shortages and causing major delays at airports.
Air travel disruptions at key hubs have added to political pressure, long security lines and reduced staffing have raised fears of a wider economic impact amid rising energy prices linked to the Iran conflict.
The immigration dispute at its core
Democrats have blocked DHS funding in an effort to secure changes to immigration enforcement after the killings of two American citizens earlier this year. Their demands include requiring agents to obtain permission before entering homes and restricting the use of masks during operations.
While Democrats have proposed funding TSA and DHS’s non-immigration functions separately, Republicans have opposed such measures, prolonging the stalemate.
