Donald Trump is proceeding with a new crescendo of aggressive rhetoric and political pressure, simultaneously opening two major fronts that test the balances both within the US and on the international geopolitical scene. On one side, the American president is escalating tension with Iran, declaring in a highly provocative tone that Washington intends to assume full control over the Strait of Hormuz and, in fact, not for free. On the other, he turns his arrows even against his own senators, launching an unprecedented ultimatum for the abolition of the "filibuster" that threatens to lead the federal government to a new, paralyzing shutdown this coming September.
"We will become the guardian of Hormuz"
More analytically, Trump commented on the current state of the war with Iran in an interview on Fox News, focusing on a seemingly American future he has envisioned for the vital maritime passageway. "We are taking control of the Strait... they [Iran] have nothing," the American leader told reporters. Trump promised that Washington would become the "guardian" of Hormuz and that it would be paid for its efforts. He then criticized the Iranian delegation for proposing changes after an 11-hour meeting with the American delegation, calling them "professional negotiators."
The Trump threat for a shutdown
The president of the US, Donald Trump, is on a collision course with his own senators, launching an unprecedented ultimatum that threatens to lead the US federal government to complete paralysis in September 2026. The American president, in a highly aggressive intervention, made it clear to Senate Republicans that if they do not proceed with the immediate abolition of the filibuster—the traditional obstructionist procedure that allows the minority to block bills—the government shutdown is inevitable. Denouncing an organized plan by the Democrats to freeze the state apparatus ahead of the midterm elections, the US president escalates the pressure within his own party, warning at the same time that a new, explosive crisis around the public debt limit is looming on the horizon of the next two years.
According to his statements, the situation is described as critical. "Otherwise, we will have a shutdown in September, while in two years the problem with the debt limit is also coming," Trump characteristically warned, demanding the abolition of the "filibuster" (the traditional delay procedure that allows the minority to block bills). The American president openly argued that the strategy of the Democrats aims to cause an artificial government crisis right before the crucial midterm elections, with the purpose of damaging the administration's image. To overturn this scenario, Trump demands here and now the change of the Senate's internal rules so that the Republican legislative agenda can move forward without the obstacles set by the opposition.
This move, although directed against the Democrats, constitutes a clear exercise of internal party pressure toward Republican senators. Trump is essentially calling on them to display decisiveness and to "break" the traditional rules, making it clear that remaining in the current status quo will lead with mathematical certainty to a financial and administrative impasse.
The reference to Lindsey Graham
In the frame of the fierce confrontation, Trump also included the late Senator Lindsey Graham, noting in fact that even he had begun to move toward the direction of abolishing the filibuster under the weight of an impending shutdown. "He started to see this," the president characteristically commented, using his example to bend internal party resistance. "If you end the filibuster, all problems disappear. And we do whatever we want. We pass whatever we want," he underlined, while sending a warning message to his own: If the Republicans do not dare to change the rules now, the Democrats will not hesitate to abolish the filibuster themselves the moment they are given the opportunity.
Trump in a dire position
The suspension of government operations occurs when Congress fails to pass funding legislation before existing appropriations expire, forcing parts of the federal government to suspend their non-essential functions. Such suspensions of operations can affect federal employees, government agencies, regulatory bodies, and economic activity until lawmakers reach a funding agreement. Political analysts note that Trump's comments reflect the dual challenges facing the United States: managing escalating geopolitical tensions abroad, while simultaneously handling legislative divisions at home. The combination of security concerns in the Middle East and uncertainty regarding federal funding could affect financial markets, energy prices, and political negotiations in the coming months. The White House and Congressional leaders are expected to continue discussions on both foreign policy developments and budget negotiations, as the September funding deadline approaches.
The last shutdown lasted 43 days
Trump's threat of a new government shutdown awakens memories of the country's recent, dramatic fiscal paralysis. This was the longest shutdown in US history, which lasted 43 whole days and ended in mid-November 2025, causing a flurry of problems for the American economy and leaving more than 1 million federal employees unpaid. The impasse ended with a dramatic bill signing in the Oval Office, with the American president declaring triumphantly that "we never back down to blackmail," turning his arrows against the Democrats. The solution was provided when certain Democratic senators "surrendered their weapons," approving the budget extension, despite strong internal party reactions over the "freezing" of Obamacare support, which threatens to double health costs for 24 million citizens.
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