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Trump Urges End of Filibuster to Pass Health Bill, Which Failed Without It Trump Urges End of Filibuster to Pass Health Bill, Which Failed Without It
(35 minutes later)
Despite naming a chief of staff who is expected to bring a new sense of discipline to the White House, President Trump resorted to his old Twitter playbook on Saturday, attacking Senate Republicans who he said “look like fools” — even as he demonstrated an uncertain understanding of the legislative process.Despite naming a chief of staff who is expected to bring a new sense of discipline to the White House, President Trump resorted to his old Twitter playbook on Saturday, attacking Senate Republicans who he said “look like fools” — even as he demonstrated an uncertain understanding of the legislative process.
In a series of early morning messages, the president criticized existing Senate filibuster rules, saying they were hampering his agenda. In a series of early morning messages, the president criticized the Senate’s filibuster rules, saying they were hampering his agenda.
“Republican Senate must get rid of 60 vote NOW! It is killing the R Party, allows 8 Dems to control country. 200 Bills sit in Senate. A JOKE!” Mr. Trump wrote in the tweetstorm that started shortly after 7 a.m. “Republican Senate must get rid of 60 vote NOW! It is killing the R Party, allows 8 Dems to control country. 200 Bills sit in Senate. A JOKE!” Mr. Trump wrote in the flurry of Twitter posts that started shortly after 7 a.m.
It wasn’t clear why he was focused on the filibuster rule, a parliamentary delay tactic that requires 60 votes to overcome. Republicans have a 52-seat majority in the Senate. A proposal this week to repeal portions of the health care law, as long demanded by Mr. Trump, required a simple 51-vote majority to pass and still failed. It was not clear why he was focused on the filibuster rule, a parliamentary delay tactic that requires 60 votes to overcome. Republicans have a 52-seat majority in the Senate. A proposal this week to repeal portions of the health care law, as long demanded by Mr. Trump, required a simple 51-vote majority to pass and still failed.
Nonetheless, Mr. Trump plowed on, saying “many great Republican bills will never pass,” including health care, under the filibuster rule.Nonetheless, Mr. Trump plowed on, saying “many great Republican bills will never pass,” including health care, under the filibuster rule.
“Mitch M, go to 51 Votes NOW and WIN. IT’S TIME!” he said on Twitter. “Republicans in the Senate will NEVER win if they don’t go to a 51 vote majority NOW. They look like fools and are just wasting time......”“Mitch M, go to 51 Votes NOW and WIN. IT’S TIME!” he said on Twitter. “Republicans in the Senate will NEVER win if they don’t go to a 51 vote majority NOW. They look like fools and are just wasting time......”
Antonia Ferrier, a spokeswoman for Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, declined to comment on Mr. Trump’s posts. “If the leader issues any statements, we’ll be sure to pass along,” she said.Antonia Ferrier, a spokeswoman for Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, declined to comment on Mr. Trump’s posts. “If the leader issues any statements, we’ll be sure to pass along,” she said.
But Mr. McConnell’s former chief of staff, Josh Holmes, cited Mr. Trump’s tweets on Saturday as he sardonically suggested a “search for the idiot who keeps putting the President on irrelevant and counterproductive crusades,” he wrote.But Mr. McConnell’s former chief of staff, Josh Holmes, cited Mr. Trump’s tweets on Saturday as he sardonically suggested a “search for the idiot who keeps putting the President on irrelevant and counterproductive crusades,” he wrote.
The Senate this year temporarily changed its rules to allow Neil M. Gorsuch, Mr. Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court, to be confirmed by a simple majority. But historically, and facing increasingly narrow elections that can flip control of the Senate every few years, most senators have opposed permanently jettisoning the rule that allows the minority party to indefinitely obstruct something that has majority support.The Senate this year temporarily changed its rules to allow Neil M. Gorsuch, Mr. Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court, to be confirmed by a simple majority. But historically, and facing increasingly narrow elections that can flip control of the Senate every few years, most senators have opposed permanently jettisoning the rule that allows the minority party to indefinitely obstruct something that has majority support.
The president also cited on Saturday a “Fox and Friends” report that claimed Russia was behind an investigation that last year produced a dossier about alleged unseemly incidents in Mr. Trump’s past. He said the Fox report showed that “Russia was against Trump in the 2016 election” and again blasted the several ongoing federal investigations into possible collusion between his campaign and Russia as a “witch hunt.” The president on Saturday also cited a “Fox and Friends” report that claimed Russia was behind an investigation that last year that produced a dossier about alleged unseemly incidents in Mr. Trump’s past. He said the Fox report showed that “Russia was against Trump in the 2016 election” and again blasted the several continuing federal investigations into possible collusion between his campaign and Russia as a “witch hunt.”
Late Friday, the White House announced that Mr. Trump would sign legislation that limits his power to lift sanctions against Russia, Iran and North Korea. The White House initially had resisted the bill. Late Friday, the White House announced that Mr. Trump would sign legislation that limits his power to lift sanctions against Russia, Iran and North Korea. The White House had initially resisted the bill.