WASHINGTON >> President Donald Trump pressed Republican senators today to terminate the filibuster rule in a bid to end the longest government shutdown in history, but his call to shatter the longstanding institutional hallmark of the Senate appeared to have little immediate effect.

“We have to get the country open. And the way we’re going to do it this afternoon is to terminate the filibuster,” Trump told the senators, who were gathered at the White House for a breakfast.

“It’s possible you’re not going to do that, and I’m going to go by your wishes. You’re very smart people, you’re good friends, but I think it’s a tremendous mistake,” Trump said. “It would be a tragic mistake. Actually, it’s time.”

But Senate Majority Leader John Thune described jettisoning the filibuster as a mathema

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