Donald Trump tells Republicans to 'go nuclear' to stop Democrats blocking Supreme Court nomination

Mr Trump announced his pick for the Supreme Court on primetime television

Donald Trump will urge Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to “go nuclear” if Democrats refuse to confirm his Supreme Court nominee.

The phrase refers to the Senate’s so-called nuclear option, which allows it to override filibusters and approve nominations by a simple majority vote of 51, rather than a super-majority of 60.

Mr Trump announced his Supreme Court nominee, Judge Neil Gorsuch, at 8pm on Tuesday on primetime television. Democrats immediately expressed their displeasure with Mr Gorsuch’s background on reproductive rights and corporate law.

Picture: (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Senate Democrats would conduct an “exhaustive, robust, and comprehensive debate” on the nominee.

Other Democrats, however, went further, and pledged to filibuster the nomination. Many are frustrated with the Republicans’ refusal to vote on president Barack Obama’s nominee, Merrick Garland. The ninth Supreme Court seat seat remained open for a full year while Republicans stalled the decision.

“This is a stolen seat. This is the first time a Senate majority has stolen a seat,” Senator Jeff Merkley told Politico. “We will use every lever in our power to stop this.”

Mr Trump told reporters Wednesday he would encourage Mr McConnell to take extreme measures if the Democrats refused to vote.

“If we end up with that gridlock I would say, ‘If you can, Mitch, go nuclear’,” Mr Trump said. “Because that would be an absolute shame if a man of this quality was put up to that neglect. I would say it’s up to Mitch, but I would say, ‘Go for it’.”

Republicans have already proved they were willing to upend usual procedure to push through Mr Trump’s nominees. Republican members of the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday voted to suspend committee rules, and moved Mr Trump’s treasury and health secretary nominees to the full Senate without a single Democratic vote.

“We took some unprecedented actions today due to the unprecedented obstruction on the part of our colleagues,” said Senate Finance Committee chair Orrin Hatch.

The Senate last used the nuclear option in November 2013, when Democrats voted to allow approval of executive and judicial nominees by a simple majority.