Trump says Schumer was clearly defeated by Republicans on government shutdown: "He's lost his talent"

President Trump criticized Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) for his handling of the government shutdown, claiming that Republicans outmaneuvered him during negotiations. In an interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox News, Trump noted that Schumer went "too far" in trying to pressure the GOP.

"He thought he could break the Republicans and the Republicans broke him," Trump declared, adding that the Democratic senator from New York "has lost his talent."

Schumer under pressure within his own party

Schumer faced internal criticism after voting against a measure that would have begun the process of reopening the government. He argued that his decision was based on concerns about the expiration of key grants at the end of the year, but several members of his party felt he failed to maintain unity within the caucus.

Seven Democratic senators, along with independent Angus King (Maine), joined Republicans in approving the reopening of the government with no guarantees of extending Obamacare subsidies.

Rep. Ro Khanna (California) wrote on X that the Senate leader is "no longer effective," while Rep. Mark Pocan (Wisconsin) accused him of failing to support Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the New York mayoral race. Pocan posted a message on social media questioning Schumer's leadership and what he described as a pattern of decisions that hurt the party.