U.S. President Donald Trump pressured Republican lawmakers this Saturday to end the government shutdown and warned them about the possible advance of the Democrats, while one of the leaders of that party, Barack Obama, participated in campaign rallies.
Trump published a harsh message urging Republicans to end the filibuster, the 60-vote threshold to pass laws in the Senate, something that leaders of his party have opposed, and asked them to "not be weak and stupid" because, in his opinion, the Democrats would do the same.
"Republicans will regret the day they didn't eliminate the filibuster. Be tough, be smart, and win," he wrote. "This is much more than the shutdown, it's the survival of our country," the president stated, ensuring that Democrats "will eliminate the filibuster at the first opportunity."
"They will fill the Supreme Court, get two new states and add at least eight electoral votes," he warned.
The current federal shutdown, which is in its 32nd day and points to becoming the longest in U.S. history, is due to the stalemate between Democrats and Republicans in the Senate to approve new budgets that would reopen the government.
Trump also referred to the gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia, which will be held next Tuesday and will be key for the 2026 midterm elections, when all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and a third of the Senate will be renewed.
Former President Obama traveled this afternoon to New Jersey, a state Trump lost in the presidential election, for a rally with Democratic candidate Mikie Sherrill, who has a slight lead over Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who has been backed by Trump.
Obama also appeared in the morning at a rally for Democratic candidate for governor of Virginia, Abigail Spanberger, who has a wider lead over her Republican rival, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, whom Trump has not officially endorsed.
On Tuesday, elections for mayor of New York will also be held, led by the democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, and although Obama has not participated in his campaign or asked for his vote, he recently called him to praise him and offer to be his "megaphone," reported The New York Times today.
