WASHINGTON – Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has refused to step down from his management place, as Democratic infighting worsens whereas the get together struggles to agree on messaging to problem President Donald Trump.
“Look, I’m not stepping down,” Schumer mentioned in a pre-recorded interview that aired on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. “I knew that once I solid my vote towards the federal government shutdown that there can be a whole lot of controversy.”
Schumer defended why he selected to vote in assist of the Republican-proposed persevering with decision to avert a authorities shutdown regardless of the invoice’s broad opposition by the Democratic Occasion.
“The CR was actually dangerous, you understand the persevering with decision, however a shutdown can be 15 or 20 occasions worse. Beneath a shutdown, the chief department has sole energy to find out what’s ‘important.’ And so they can decide with none court docket supervision. The courts have dominated it is solely as much as the chief what to close down,” Schumer mentioned.
DEM SENATOR ON SCHUMER FUTURE: ‘IMPORTANT’ TO KNOW ‘WHEN IT’S TIME TO GO’
Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer leaves the Democratic caucus lunch on the U.S. Capitol on March 13, 2025. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Photos)
Schumer alleged, with out proof, that Trump, Division of Authorities Effectivity chair Elon Musk and Workplace of Administration and Price range Director Russell Vought would slash funding for SNAP, or meals stamps and mass transit, in addition to lower Medicaid “by 20, 30, 50, 80%” He prompt the administration may determine throughout a authorities shutdown, “We’ll go after Social Safety. We’ll go after the veterans.”
“They might eviscerate the federal authorities,” Schumer mentioned. “Their objective is simply eviscerate the federal authorities to allow them to get extra taxes of their tax cuts to their billionaire class over there. So it will be devastating.”
“There’s no off ramp,” he added. “Who determines how lengthy the shutdown would final? Solely these evil individuals on the prime of the chief department within the Trump administration.”
Schumer informed NBC {that a} Republican senator near the DOGE workforce informed a Democratic colleague of his that the administration would maintain the shutdown in place for “six months, 9 months, a yr til everybody was furloughed and gone and give up.”
“And there can be no option to cease it,” Schumer mentioned. “So I believed that may be so devastating to the republic and anger so many individuals.”
Schumer, who performed a important function in urging Joe Biden to exit the 2024 race, denied that he was performing equally in resisting calls from his get together to resign as chief. Democrats have more and more criticized Schumer for breaking with Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., in supporting the persevering with decision, and Schumer has dismissed reviews of a possible major problem by progressive “Squad” member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., for his Senate seat.
AOC SHREDS SCHUMER FOR ‘TREMENDOUS MISTAKE’ OF CAVING TO GOP TO AVOID GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
“It was a vote of precept. Generally, while you’re a pacesetter, it’s a must to do issues to keep away from an actual hazard that may come down the curve, and I did it out of pure conviction as to what a pacesetter ought to do and what the appropriate factor for America and my get together was,” Schumer mentioned, admitting that there is “disagreement” within the Democratic caucus on the spending invoice, however “We have all comply with respect one another as a result of all sides noticed why the opposite facet felt so strongly about it.”
“And our caucus is united in preventing Donald Trump each step of the best way,” Schumer claimed. “Our objective, our plan, which we’re united on, is to make Donald Trump the quickest lame duck in fashionable historical past by exhibiting how dangerous his insurance policies are.”
“He represents the oligarchs, as I’ve mentioned, he is hurting common individuals in each method,” Schumer added, saying Democrats are utilizing oversight hearings, the courts and organizing throughout districts to problem Trump’s agenda.
“I imagine that by 2026, the Republicans within the Home and Senate will really feel like they’re rats on a sinking ship as a result of we’ve got so gone after Trump and all of the horrible issues he is doing,” Schumer mentioned.
Forrmer Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi prompt Democrats gained nothing from conceding on the persevering with decision. (John Lamparski/Getty Photos)
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, the previous Home Speaker, has claimed Democrats didn’t acquire something in Schumer conceding to Republicans’ over the CR.
“What we acquired, on the finish of the day,” Schumer responded, “is avoiding the horror of a shutdown.”
He added that Democrats had “no leverage level,” as a result of Republicans in command of each homes may power a vote on the CR. “If you’re on that political mountain, the upper up you climb, the extra fiercely the winds blow,” Schumer mentioned. “The one method you cease being blown off the mountain is your inner gyroscope… I needed to do the appropriate factor for our nation and for our get together.”
LINK: GET MORE ON THIS STORY FROM FOX NEWS
