The nuclear option is an informal term for a parliamentary procedure that allows the Senate to override a rule or precedent by a simple majority (51 votes) rather than the two-thirds supermajority traditionally required to change Senate rules. It works by having the presiding officer rule a current practice out of order, then having a simple majority vote to sustain or overturn that ruling — effectively establishing a new precedent without formally amending the written rules. The Senate used it in 2013 to allow majority-cloture on most nominations, in 2017 for Supreme Court nominees, and in September 2025 to allow en bloc confirmation of executive branch nominees. Each use permanently narrows the tools available to the minority party.