Bessent: government held ‘hostage’ by Schumer’s poll numbers
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized Senate Minority Leader chuck Schumer for his role in the ongoing federal government shutdown, accusing him of being influenced by his low poll numbers. The shutdown, which began about two weeks ago, is being blamed by the Trump administration on Democratic lawmakers for not reaching an agreement to reopen the government. Bessent suggested that Democrats might be waiting for a nationwide protest to end before ending the shutdown. He urged moderate Democrats to break ranks and support reopening the government, calling them “heroes” if they do so.
Bessent described Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries as detached from mainstream America and said the government is held “hostage” by Schumer’s declining approval ratings. Schumer’s favorability has fallen to its lowest point in two decades, raising concerns about his potential reelection in 2028. Bessent defended House Speaker Mike Johnson’s efforts, noting that Johnson passed a “clean” continuing resolution backed by some Democrats, and praised Senate Majority Leader John Thune for holding daily votes aimed at ending the shutdown. Other officials, including Transportation Secretary sean Duffy, also expressed frustration over the shutdown’s impact on essential services such as air traffic control. Bessent blamed Democratic leadership, particularly Schumer, for prolonging the shutdown due to political calculations tied to their poll standings.
Bessent says federal government held ‘hostage’ by Schumer’s poll numbers
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is the latest to target Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for the 2025 government shutdown, saying on Wednesday that Schumer is afraid of his poll numbers.
The federal government is about two weeks into its shutdown, which the Trump administration is pinning on Democratic lawmakers for failing to make a deal to reopen the government. Bessent said there’s “a thought” that Democratic lawmakers are waiting to end this shutdown until the “crazy” No Kings nationwide protest is over on Saturday.
He added that the Pentagon turned to “surplus funds” to pay the U.S. military on Wednesday amid the shutdown. He encouraged “moderate” Democratic lawmakers to break from their party and vote to reopen the government, saying they would be “heroes.”
“Chuck Schumer and [House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)], they call them two guys from Brooklyn, who are completely detached from America. You know, we are hostage to Sen. Schumer’s poll numbers,” Bessent said at CNBC’s Invest in America Forum.
“He did the right thing — President [Donald] Trump congratulated him in the spring when he passed a clean [continuing resolution], and what’s changed between now and then? His poll numbers. He has collapsed in the polls, and now it looks like Rep. Jeffries is going to be primaried from the Left. And I didn’t think there was any room over there,” Bessent said.
Schumer voted with Republicans in March to help advance a House-passed stopgap measure to fund the government, and his approval rating has drastically dropped since then. August polling showed his lowest approval rating in 20 years, a bad omen should he seek reelection in 2028.
Bessent pushed back against the idea that the current government is responsible for the shutdown, saying House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) passed a “clean” continuing resolution that three Democratic senators are supporting. Bessent also said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) is conducting votes “every day” to reopen the government, and Republicans want to “negotiate” on this.
On Oct. 6, Johnson questioned why Schumer was changing his tune from March, holding up a copy of the Washington Examiner magazine portraying Schumer getting heat for breaking ranks. Johnson said the Democratic Party’s “far-left base” has turned on Schumer for working with Republicans, and Schumer is now partaking in “a red herring” focused on healthcare.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is also frustrated with the government shutdown and the effect it is having on air traffic controllers showing up for work. He said Monday that these controllers will get paid, but when those paychecks get sent depends on “when Chuck Schumer opens up the government.”
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