Thune Eyes ‘Nuclear Option’ to Break Senate Gridlock on Trump Nominees

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) is preparing to use a controversial parliamentary tactic—known as the “nuclear option”—to overcome a prolonged backlog in confirming dozens of Trump administration nominees. The move comes amid what Republicans describe as unprecedented obstruction by Senate Democrats.

The strategy would reduce the number of votes required to break a filibuster for a group of lower-level executive nominees, potentially clearing the way for dozens of confirmations that have been stalled for months. This approach would not apply to cabinet-level officials or judicial appointments, but rather to subcabinet and other minor roles in the administration.

Thune’s plan hinges on the Senate’s complex procedural rules. On Tuesday evening, he introduced a resolution to fast-track the confirmation of roughly 40 nominees by grouping them into a single package. To begin debate on such a resolution, the Senate must first agree to a cloture motion—essentially a vote to end debate. Under current rules, that motion requires the support of 60 senators.

Democrats are expected to block the initial cloture vote, but that’s exactly what Thune is counting on. Once the vote fails, he plans to switch his own vote from yes to no, a technical maneuver that puts him on the prevailing side and gives him the right to move for reconsideration.

Following that, Thune is expected to raise a point of order challenging the 60-vote threshold, arguing that only a simple majority should be needed for cloture on such a resolution. The presiding officer—either Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley (R-IA) or Vice President J.D. Vance—will likely rule against Thune, upholding existing Senate precedent.

At that point, Thune would appeal the ruling. If a simple majority of senators (at least 51) vote in his favor, it would create a new Senate precedent, lowering the cloture threshold for similar resolutions in the future to just a simple majority.

This maneuver, while dramatic, is not without precedent. Over the past decade, both parties have chipped away at the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster rule. In 2013, then-Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) used the nuclear option to reduce the vote requirement for confirming most executive nominees. In 2017, then-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) extended the policy to include Supreme Court nominees, beginning with Justice Neil Gorsuch.

If successful, Thune’s rule change could go into effect as soon as next week. A second cloture vote under the new rule could take place on Monday, September 15, setting the stage for final confirmation of the nominees on Wednesday, September 17.

Supporters argue the change is long overdue and would help eliminate unnecessary delays for noncontroversial appointments. “These are not radical or controversial figures,” said one Senate GOP aide. “They’re people who keep the government running day to day, and they’ve been held up purely for political reasons.”

Opponents, however, warn that further weakening the filibuster undermines the Senate’s foundational role as a deliberative body. They argue that each erosion of the supermajority requirement damages the spirit of bipartisan cooperation and leaves future minority parties with fewer tools to exert influence.

“This is about much more than just personnel,” said one Senate Democrat. “This is about whether the Senate continues to function as a check on raw majoritarian power, or whether it becomes just another rubber stamp for the White House.”

Thune’s strategy would represent the third major use of the nuclear option in recent Senate history and would further entrench the idea that simple majority rule can be used to bypass long-standing Senate traditions.

The filibuster has long been considered a key element of Senate procedure, allowing unlimited debate unless three-fifths of the chamber agree to cut it off. Proponents say it protects minority rights and encourages negotiation. Critics say it is increasingly being used as a tool for partisan gridlock.

With this latest move, Thune is poised to leave his own mark on Senate procedure, following in the footsteps of Reid and McConnell. Whether his gamble succeeds will become clear in the coming days, as the chamber braces for another high-stakes rules fight with lasting implications.