Chuck Schumer Bends to Trump After SOTU: ‘We Agree’

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is facing mounting criticism after defending Democrats’ decision to remain seated during President Donald J. Trump’s State of the Union address when the president called on lawmakers to stand in support of protecting American citizens from illegal immigration.

As President Trump — now serving his second term — made the case for robust immigration enforcement and public safety, Democrats conspicuously declined to rise. The moment quickly became emblematic of the party’s widening divide with the administration on border security and national sovereignty.

Appearing on CNN the following morning, Schumer doubled down — but not by defending federal law enforcement. Instead, he accused Immigration and Customs Enforcement of misconduct and suggested the administration was failing to protect Americans.

“We agree we need to protect Americans. He’s not. By his reckless ICE agency in Minnesota two Americans were killed. Americans are being pulled out of their cars and beaten. Americans houses, the doors are being knocked down, you know, without a warrant,” Schumer claimed.

“And no other police department in America run by Americans has — has done what ICE has done. So yes, we want to protect Americans. He’s not doing it. And that’s why the American people are against what ICE is doing. So it was legitimate and right not to stand,” he added.

Administration officials have flatly rejected those accusations, noting that ICE operations are conducted in accordance with federal law and Department of Homeland Security guidelines. According to multiple officials, enforcement efforts have focused heavily on illegal aliens with criminal records, including individuals charged with child sex offenses, violent assaults, and homicide.

Critics argue that Schumer’s remarks reflect a broader trend among Democratic leadership: prioritizing political posturing over public safety while downplaying the threat posed by criminal illegal aliens.

Iran Tensions Spark New Dispute

Schumer also used the week’s spotlight to press President Trump for clarity regarding escalating pressure on Iran.

Following a classified briefing for senior congressional leaders, Schumer publicly called on the president to articulate his objectives as the administration increases military readiness in the region.

“It’s very serious and the president has an obligation to make his goals public,” Schumer told Jewish Insider after the briefing.

Other Democrats echoed those concerns. Sen. Mark Warner, the ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, urged the administration to explain “what our country’s goals are, what our country’s interests are and how we’re going to protect American interests in the region.”

Rep. Jim Himes similarly expressed alarm, stating he was “very concerned” and warning that “wars in the Middle East don’t go well for presidents, for the country, and we have not heard articulated a single good reason for why now is the moment to launch yet another war in the Middle East.”

In contrast, Senate Majority Leader John Thune struck a more measured tone, saying the administration is “giving a lot of thought to the situation. And I appreciate where they’re coming from.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made clear that any potential action rests squarely with the commander-in-chief.

President Trump is “always the final decision-maker,” Leavitt told reporters, according to Conservative Brief.

During an appearance on “Fox & Friends,” Leavitt emphasized that U.S. airstrikes in June — part of Operation Midnight Hammer — significantly degraded Iran’s nuclear capabilities, even as special envoy Steve Witkoff recently stated Tehran was “probably a week away from having industrial-grade bomb-making material.”

Leavitt cautioned that the operation’s success does not eliminate future threats.

“The president is always the final decision-maker around here,” she said. “And I’ve seen a lot of sensationalist reporting over the past day that is just completely untrue, and anyone speculating to the media, hiding behind an anonymous source, pretending to know what President Trump is thinking or a decision he will make with respect to action against Iran has no idea what they’re talking about.”

She further noted that while Operation Midnight Hammer dealt a decisive blow, “does not mean that Iran may never try again to establish a nuclear program that could directly threaten the United States and our allies abroad, and that’s what the president wants to ensure can never happen again.”

A Stark Contrast on Law and Order

The political contrast could not be clearer. While President Trump continues to emphasize border enforcement and deterrence against foreign adversaries, Democratic leadership appears increasingly willing to challenge both federal immigration authorities and the administration’s national security posture.

For many Americans concerned about public safety and stability abroad, the question remains whether Democrats will ultimately align with enforcing the law — or continue opposing the very measures designed to protect the nation.