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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has rebuked President Donald Trump, accusing him of weaponizing the government shutdown to score political points while millions of Americans suffered. Schumer Blasts Trump For ‘Cruelty’ Behind Longest Shutdown In a post on X on Monday, Schumer condemned Trump for what he called the "cruelty" behind the 41-day government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history. "The last 41 days have exposed the depths of Trump's cruelty," Schumer wrote. "He shut the government down longer than any president in American history. He added, “He took innocent kids, veterans and federal workers as political hostages—all because he refuses to fix the healthcare crisis." Shutdown Fallout Left Federal Workers, Veterans And Families Struggling The shutdown left hundreds of thousands of federal employees furloughed or working without pay, while vital services such as veteran programs and food assistance for low-income families were disrupted. Schumer's comments reflect growing Democratic frustration over what they see as Trump's use of everyday Americans as leverage in political standoffs. See Also: Donald Trump's Approval Rating Jumps Among Baby Boomers — Here's What's Driving It Democrats Condemn GOP Over Healthcare Crisis And SNAP Threats Democratic leaders escalated their criticism of Republicans and President Trump, accusing them of deepening the healthcare and food assistance crises during the record 41-day shutdown. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Republicans are "running scared" and "refuse to address the devastating healthcare crisis they created." Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) added that Democrats are "ready to negotiate with Republicans NOW if they bring real solutions to the table, not false promises." Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) warned that Trump's reported push to freeze SNAP payments would hurt 42 million Americans, saying his message to them is "eat dirt." Last week, Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemned Republicans for the record-long government shutdown, calling it a "self-imposed vacation" as Americans struggled and urged voters to hold their representatives accountable. Trump, Vance Blame Democrats For Shutdown Last week, on Truth Social, Trump claimed Democrats "shut down the United States Government right in the midst of one of the most successful economies," calling it a preventable crisis. He said he is willing to "work with Democrats on their failed healthcare policies," but insisted they must "open our government tonight." Vice President JD Vance warned on X that the shutdown had "passed from farce into tragedy," calling it a "national emergency" that threatened air travel, food aid and national security. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) amplified criticism within his own party, reposting a comment accusing Democrats of protecting donors instead of replacing Schumer. Read Next: Senate Advances Vote To End Record 40-Day Shutdown As Thanksgiving Looms, Democratic Centrists Reach Deal With GOP Leaders Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Photo Courtesy: Bumble Dee On Shutterstock.com
