Trump Gains Prominent Ally in Killing Senate Filibuster - WSJ
The reversal by the Texas senator boosts pressure on GOP leader John Thune as Republicans push to pass the SAVE America Act.
www.wsj.comThe latest filibuster-related news in the U.S. Senate centers on Senator John Cornyn’s (R-Texas) dramatic reversal on March 2026, where he now supports changing or eliminating the filibuster to pass President Trump’s "SAVE America Act" — Trump’s top legislative priority on election reform.[4][6]
Key developments:
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Cornyn's stance shift | After years defending the 60-vote filibuster rule, Cornyn now endorses "any modifications to Senate rules" needed to overcome Democratic obstruction [4] |
| Why now? | Cornyn is in a tight Republican primary runoff against Ken Paxton and needs Trump’s endorsement; Paxton has been pushing harder than Cornyn to eliminate the filibuster [4][6] |
| Trump's position | Trump has repeatedly urged Senate Republicans to use the "nuclear option" and scrap the filibuster, especially during the 2025 government shutdown [3][5] |
| Senate leadership response | Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) says there are insufficient votes to eliminate the filibuster, noting deep resistance within the Republican conference [3][4] |
| Current filibuster status | The 60-vote requirement still stands for most legislation; Democrats have vowed to filibuster the SAVE America Act [4][5] |
Recent filibuster break:
In November 2025, the Senate broke a Democratic filibuster on a government funding bill with a 60-40 vote, after eight Democrats crossed party lines in a bipartisan deal to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.[1][3]
The filibuster remains a contentious issue as Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority but lack the 60 votes needed for most legislation without Democratic support.[5]