Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) offered a nuanced position on the future of the legislative filibuster during an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press this morning, acknowledging the “compelling argument” put forth by President Donald Trump to eliminate the rule, even as he reaffirmed his own commitment to preserving it.
Appearing with moderator Kristen Welker, Sen. Barrasso was pressed on whether he was “100% confident” the filibuster would remain intact by the end of President Trump’s second term, especially following the President’s renewed calls to scrap the rule in the wake of the recent government shutdown.
“President Trump makes a compelling argument,” Sen. Barrasso stated. However, he quickly pivoted to defend the long-standing 60-vote requirement, framing it as an essential shield for the Republican minority against a potential Democratic agenda.
Barrasso, a key figure in the Senate GOP leadership, cast the rule as a conservative necessity, arguing that eliminating it would pave the way for Democratic priorities that he views as “disastrous for the country.”
He specifically cited concerns that Democrats would:
- Create New States: Seek statehood for D.C. and Puerto Rico, which he said would add “four new Democrat senators.”
- Change Voting Rules: Get rid of voter ID requirements and “make it easier for illegal immigrants to vote.”
- Pack the Supreme Court: Add “four new members on the Supreme Court who don’t really follow the Constitution.”
“I’ve always supported the filibuster because I view that as a tool that we have as conservatives to prevent Democrats from doing things that I think would be very bad for the country,” the Senator explained.
When directly asked by Welker if he would “rule out ending the filibuster, voting to end the filibuster,” Sen. Barrasso did not offer a definitive “no,” but reiterated his current position. “I support the filibuster, as do I believe a majority of Republicans in the Senate. So I expect it’s going to continue to be here.”
The Senator also used the opportunity to praise President Trump’s handling of the recent government shutdown, which he blamed on Democrats.
“I’ll tell you, I appreciate his leadership during this shutdown,” Sen. Barrasso said. “Because the Democrats have put this country through tremendous pain with this shutdown… We’d still be in a shutdown today if it were up to the majority of the Democrats.”
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