Despite increasing pressure as Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer has declared he will remain in his position. He affirmed his commitment during an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press.
Schumer has faced criticism for assisting Republicans in passing their temporary spending bill, a move that went against the wishes of most of his Democratic colleagues in both the Senate and the House. This decision has led to disapproval from many within his party, particularly those who advocate for a more forceful opposition to President Donald Trump.
However, Schumer insists that he intends to continue leading the Senate minority, despite the backlash. He defended his vote in favor of the bill, citing the need to prevent the “horror” of a government shutdown, and arguing that he acted in the “best interests of America” and his party. He characterized the decision as one driven by “pure conviction.”
“Look, I’m not stepping down,” Schumer told host Kristen Welker, acknowledging that his choice would provoke criticism. “A shutdown would be 15 or 20 times worse. Under a shutdown, the Executive Branch has sole power to determine what is, quote, ‘essential.’ And they can determine without any court supervision.”
In the pre-recorded interview broadcast on Sunday, Schumer further stated to Welker that Democrats are “united” in their opposition to Trump “every step of the way.” Their objective, he said, is “to make Donald Trump the quickest lame duck in modern history by showing how bad his policies are.”
Schumer also asserted that “democracy is at risk” under Trump, referencing the president’s recent call to impeach a judge who ruled against him regarding the deportation of individuals the U.S. alleges are Venezuelan gang members. Trump’s impeachment suggestion drew rare, public disagreement from , who defended the independence of judges, even when disagreeing with their rulings.
“Look, Donald Trump is a lawless, angry man,” Schumer stated when asked about the potential constitutional risks. “He thinks he should be king. He thinks he should do whatever he wants, regardless of the law, and he thinks judges should just listen to him.”
Schumer warned that if Trump defies the Supreme Court, Democrats, and potentially the public, will “rise up” in opposition. “It will trigger a mass movement from one end of the country to the other, something that we haven’t seen in a very long time,” he predicted.