Trump urges Senate GOP to use “nuclear option” as shutdown deepens

President Donald Trump  threw a major curveball into the ongoing government shutdown, urging Senate Republicans to invoke what he called the “nuclear option.”

(NBC)- President Donald Trump  threw a major curveball into the ongoing government shutdown, urging Senate Republicans to invoke what he called the “nuclear option” — eliminating the filibuster to allow a simple 50-vote majority to pass a short-term funding bill and reopen the government.

“Get rid of the filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!” the President wrote in a post that immediately escalated the high-stakes standoff in Washington.

Currently, 60 votes are needed in the Senate to advance most legislation. But the Senate’s top Republican, Majority Leader John Thune, has publicly opposed changing the rule, instead calling on Democrats to support the existing funding proposal.

“We need five Democrats with a backbone,” Thune said.

Democrats, meanwhile, are holding firm on their demand to restore healthcare provisions cut under the Trump administration. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said, “The American people understand that there’s a Republican health care crisis.”

As the impasse drags on, the effects are being felt nationwide — particularly among federal workers and low-income families. Nonprofit World Central Kitchen has stepped in to help feed workers in Washington who have missed paychecks.

“I wish people in power understood that we are much closer to poverty than a lot of folks outside of D.C. realize,” said federal worker Taylore Fox.

The stakes are set to rise further as SNAP food assistance expires Saturday, cutting off a vital lifeline for millions of Americans. Senate Democrats are now pushing for a stand-alone bill to extend the program using contingency funds.

“No president has ever stopped these funds from flowing in a shutdown,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Republicans have pushed back, accusing Democrats of playing politics. “They’re trying to insulate themselves from the consequences of their own actions,” Thune countered.

With public pressure mounting, one GOP senator has introduced a constitutional amendment to halt lawmakers’ pay for as long as the shutdown continues — a symbolic move highlighting the growing frustration on both sides of the aisle.