President Donald Trump sharply criticized Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday, claiming that Schumer miscalculated during the 43-day government shutdown. In an interview, Trump stated that Schumer “thought he could break the Republicans” but was instead “broken” by them.
The statement comes amid mounting internal dissent within the Democratic Party, where some senators withheld support for Schumer’s tactics and are calling for new leadership. Trump also pulled no punches, noting Schumer had changed significantly over time, particularly on foreign-policy stances.
With the shutdown nearing its end following the Senate’s passage of a stopgap spending bill, Trump cast Schumer’s hard-line strategy as a failure and positioned the GOP as the party that prevailed in the standoff. Scholars say the comments highlight both the administration’s confidence and the fractures emerging in Democratic ranks as lawmakers prepare for the next budget battle.