President Donald Trump directed his ire at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on Saturday as Democrats continue to delay the confirmation of the president’s remaining civilian nominees.
Senators have remained in Washington, D.C., over the weekend in order to confirm the rest of Trump’s nominees, foregoing part of an August recess to get them over the line. As progress has reportedly not been made on a deal to fast-track the nominations, Trump, who is in New Jersey for the rest of the day, took to Truth Social to call out Schumer for an “egregious and unprecedented” demand that the White House release funding in exchange for the swift confirmations, going so far as to accuse him of “political extortion.”
“Senator Cryin’ Chuck Schumer is demanding over One Billion Dollars in order to approve a small number of our highly qualified nominees, who should right now be helping to run our Country. This demand is egregious and unprecedented, and would be embarrassing to the Republican Party if it were accepted. It is political extortion, by any other name,” Trump posted.
The president urged Senate Republicans to reject any deal that involves releasing that funding, telling Schumer to “GO TO HELL!”
“Do not accept the offer, go home and explain to your constituents what bad people the Democrats are, and what a great job the Republicans are doing, and have done, for our Country. Have a great RECESS and, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!” Trump added.
Trump’s post follows frustration from Senate Republicans over Schumer’s blockade, which they have called “unprecedented” and a “national embarrassment.”
TRUMP’S PRESSURE TO EASE NOMINEE BACKLOG FORCES SENATE INTO RARE WEEKEND SESSION
Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Tim Scott (R-SC), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Katie Britt (R-AL), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and others all took to X to blast Schumer’s tactics, with some sharing a graphic showing that thus far, no civilian nominees have been confirmed by voice vote or unanimous consent since the start of Trump’s second term.
Schumer has claimed that the nominees are “flawed,” “compromised,” and “unqualified” and deserve more scrutiny in his justification for delaying the confirmation proceedings.