Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has refused to step down from his management place, as Democratic infighting worsens whilst the celebration struggles to agree on messaging to problem President Donald Trump.
“Glance, I’m now not stepping down,” Schumer mentioned in a pre-recorded interview that aired on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. “I knew that after I solid my vote towards the federal government shutdown that there can be numerous controversy.”
Schumer defended why he selected to vote in make stronger of the Republican-proposed proceeding answer to avert a central authority shutdown regardless of the invoice’s huge opposition by means of the Democratic Celebration.
“The CR was once surely dangerous, the ongoing answer, however a shutdown can be 15 or 20 occasions worse. Beneath a shutdown, the manager department has sole energy to decide what’s ‘crucial.’ And they are able to decide with none courtroom supervision. The courts have dominated it is only as much as the manager what to close down,” Schumer mentioned.
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Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer leaves the Democratic caucus lunch on the U.S. Capitol on March 13, 2025. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Photographs)
Schumer alleged, with out proof, that Trump, Division of Executive Potency chair Elon Musk and Workplace of Control and Funds Director Russell Vought would slash investment for SNAP, or meals stamps and mass transit, in addition to reduce Medicaid “by means of 20, 30, 50, 80%” He advised the management may just make a decision right through a central authority shutdown, “We’ll move after Social Safety. We’ll move after the veterans.”
“They might eviscerate the government,” Schumer mentioned. “Their function is solely eviscerate the government so they are able to get extra taxes of their tax cuts to their billionaire magnificence over there. So it might be devastating.”
“There’s no off ramp,” he added. “Who determines how lengthy the shutdown would final? Most effective the ones evil other folks on the best of the manager department within the Trump management.”
Schumer advised NBC {that a} Republican senator with regards to the DOGE staff advised a Democratic colleague of his that the management would stay the shutdown in position for “six months, 9 months, a 12 months til everybody was once furloughed and long gone and give up.”
“And there can be no strategy to prevent it,” Schumer mentioned. “So I assumed that might be so devastating to the republic and anger such a lot of other folks.”
Schumer, who performed a crucial function in urging Joe Biden to go out the 2024 race, denied that he was once performing in a similar way in resisting calls from his celebration to renounce as chief. Democrats have an increasing number of criticized Schumer for breaking with Area Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., in supporting the ongoing answer, and Schumer has disregarded reviews of a potential primary challenge by means of modern “Squad” member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., for his Senate seat.
Area Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries speaks right through a information convention on the Capitol, in Washington, March 6, 2025. (AP Picture/J. Scott Applewhite)
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“It was once a vote of concept. Occasionally, if you end up a pacesetter, you must do issues to keep away from an actual threat that may come down the curve, and I did it out of natural conviction as to what a pacesetter must do and what the suitable factor for The united states and my celebration was once,” Schumer mentioned, admitting that there is “war of words” within the Democratic caucus at the spending invoice, however “We have now all comply with appreciate each and every different as a result of each and every facet noticed why the opposite facet felt so strongly about it.”
“And our caucus is united in preventing Donald Trump each and every step of the way in which,” Schumer claimed. “Our function, our plan, which we are united on, is to make Donald Trump the fastest lame duck in trendy historical past by means of appearing how dangerous his insurance policies are.”
“He represents the oligarchs, as I have mentioned, he is hurting moderate other folks in each and every method,” Schumer added, pronouncing Democrats are the usage of oversight hearings, the courts and organizing throughout districts to problem Trump’s schedule.
“I imagine that by means of 2026, the Republicans within the Area and Senate will really feel like they are rats on a sinking send as a result of we now have so long gone after Trump and the entire terrible issues he is doing,” Schumer mentioned.
Forrmer Area Speaker Nancy Pelosi advised Democrats received not anything from conceding at the proceeding answer. (John Lamparski/Getty Photographs)
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, the previous Area Speaker, has claimed Democrats didn’t acquire anything else in Schumer conceding to Republicans’ over the CR.
“What we were given, on the finish of the day,” Schumer replied, “is fending off the horror of a shutdown.”
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He added that Democrats had “no leverage level,” as a result of Republicans in regulate of each properties may just pressure a vote at the CR. “If you find yourself on that political mountain, the upper up you climb, the extra fiercely the winds blow,” Schumer mentioned. “The one method you prevent being blown off the mountain is your inside gyroscope… I needed to do the suitable factor for our nation and for our celebration.”