Copyright Atlanta Black Star
President Donald Trump has been growing noticeably agitated in recent weeks, watching his influence over Washington erode as the government shutdown drags on and key allies begin to distance themselves. Once the undisputed center of Republican power, he now appears increasingly frustrated as party leaders hesitate to echo his demands or defend his every move. That irritation burst into full public view on Saturday when Trump launched into another online tirade, berating fellow Republicans as “WEAK AND STUPID” and demanding they “TERMINATE” the Senate filibuster to force through his stalled agenda. Trump, who has spent weeks blaming “DERANGED DEMOCRAT politicians” for the crisis, turned his anger inward this time — warning that Senate Republicans’ refusal to end the filibuster could “destroy the country.” ‘Sooo Cringy’: Trump Tries to Regain the Upper Hand with Leader Who Snubbed Him — But One Slip Flips the Script, and He Explodes On the Wrong Person The outburst on Truth Social marked the latest flashpoint in a confrontation that has paralyzed Washington and left millions of Americans uncertain about their paychecks, food, and health care benefits. “Remember, Republicans, regardless of the Schumer Shutdown, the Democrats will terminate the Filibuster the first chance they get… Don’t be WEAK AND STUPID. FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT! WIN, WIN, WIN!… Republicans, you will rue the day that you didn’t TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER!!! BE TOUGH, BE SMART, AND WIN!!! This is much bigger than the Shutdown, this is the survival of our Country!” The insulting tirade came just two days after Trump made a similar demand, calling on the GOP to use the “nuclear option” to abolish the filibuster altogether. “BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE GONE STONE COLD ‘CRAZY,’ THE CHOICE IS CLEAR — INITIATE THE ‘NUCLEAR OPTION,’ GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” he wrote Thursday night. So far, however, there’s no sign the Senate has moved on Trump’s demands. Trump’s leadership has faced fresh scrutiny amid reports of verbal slips, erratic decision-making, and low morale inside his administration. Critics on social media summed up the mood on Trump in blunt terms: “His mind is gone,” one person wrote on Threads. Adding, “He’s so diminished physically and mentally that he’s just vapor now. Nobody really listens anymore. They just keep him happy now while they screw up the country and grift for all they’re worth. They know it will all end soon.” View on Threads “Sounds more and more desperate to me,” observed another. Another added, “Political Blackmailer is all he is. He only cares about himself and what he will get out of every deal. He can’t be gone soon enough from politics. Whoever said a businessman could run the govt?? Yeah, right into the ground.” The filibuster — a century-old Senate rule that effectively requires 60 votes to advance most legislation — remains Democrats’ only real leverage in a chamber where Republicans hold 53 seats. Trump’s push to eliminate it has alarmed lawmakers who warn the move could permanently damage how Congress operates. Trump’s aides said he made the decision after giving the matter “a great deal of thought” during his flight home from Asia on Thursday. Yet the timing underscored how consumed he’s become by the stalemate and by a party that no longer moves in lockstep with him. According to Politico, the White House initially believed the shutdown was winnable — that Democrats would cave quickly under public pressure. Early defections from a few Democratic senators seemed to support that optimism. But weeks later, little progress has been made. Federal workers have now missed paychecks, and frustration is building across agencies. But weeks later, little progress has been made. Federal workers missed their first full paychecks this past week. SNAP, the federal food assistance program, has run out of funding along with some early childhood programs, while air travel delays are worsening with the holidays approaching. A federal judge in Rhode Island on Friday ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to release overdue payments for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program just a day before its funding expired. Judge John McConnell sided with a coalition of cities and community groups, directing USDA to use contingency funds to keep the program running — and, if necessary, to draw from other sources. The White House has diverted funds to ensure the military is paid but refused to extend similar protection to public food programs. Meanwhile, Americans are opening their mail to find sharply higher health insurance premiums, fallout from the same GOP legislation that Democrats have made restoring subsidies a rallying cry. The administration continues to point fingers at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democrats’ “intransigence,” tying their health care push to claims they favor free treatment for undocumented immigrants and trans athletes competing in women’s sports. That strategy, however, has failed to move the public. Polls now show more Americans blaming Republicans for the shutdown. House Speaker Mike Johnson has quietly signaled interest in negotiating an off-ramp, but Trump has ruled out face-to-face talks. The president told aides Friday that he has “no plans to invite Democrats” to the White House. Spokesperson Abigail Jackson later confirmed, “Democrats won’t do what’s best for the American people, the nuclear option will need to be invoked.” Trump’s leadership has faced renewed scrutiny amid reports of verbal slips, erratic decision-making, and mounting fatigue inside his administration. GOP lawmakers are privately alarmed by Trump’s growing unpredictability. Some fear the shutdown may stretch past Thanksgiving and risk a repeat of the 35-day closure in 2018-2019 — the longest in U.S. history, also under Trump — which ended only after airports began to shut down from staffing shortages. As Washington braces for another week of paralysis, even some of Trump’s allies concede the damage is mounting — not just to the government, but to the perception of a president who once prided himself on being a dealmaker.
