Chuck Schumer Threatens Government Shutdown over PBS and NPR Funding

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is itching to show his fellow Democrats he is willing to fight President Trump.

But Schumer chose his battles poorly.

And Chuck Schumer hit Trump with an ultimatum that is worse than anyone could imagine.

Polls show Chuck Schumer trailing Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez by nearly 20 points in a hypothetical 2028 primary matchup.

2028 NY Senate Democratic Primary

A. Ocasio-Cortez: 55%
Chuck Schumer: 36%
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Fav-unfav
Ocasio-Cortez: 75-16 (+59)
Schumer: 62-36 (+26)
——@DataProgress | March 26-31 | 767 LVhttps://t.co/sQD49RLLvs pic.twitter.com/ovuyndvula

— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) April 4, 2025

Democrat voters soured on Schumer after Schumer admitted defeat to President Trump in a fight over freezing government spending.

With the government funding deadline approaching, Schumer is eager to show Democrats he will go to the mattresses against President Trump in the hopes of saving his job.

Schumer’s preferred battlefield is the coming recission package the Senate will vote on to slash $1.1 billion in funding for leftwing state media outlets PBS and NPR as well as $8.3 billion in foreign aid.

Republicans voted to gut the funding for PBS and NPR after correctly reasoning that taxpayers shouldn’t pick up the tab for pro-Democrat Party house organs.

Americans are also sick of sending their hard-earned money to countries no one can find on a map.

In a press conference, Schumer threatened Democrats would shut down the government if Senate Republicans voted to send the recission package to President Trump’s desk for signature.

“Ask the Republicans why they are heading on this path,” Schumer told reporters.

Schumer made clear his version of bipartisanship is Republicans  give Democrats everything they want despite Republicans controlling the White House and both chambers of Congress.

“We are doing everything we can to keep the bipartisan appropriations process going. And they’re undermining it with rescissions, with pocket rescissions, with impoundment and every other way,” Schumer added.

In a “Dear Colleague” letter to his fellow Democrats, Schumer prepped he ground for scorched earth war over shutting down the government to keep PBS and NPR collecting taxpayer money.

“At the behest of Donald Trump, Senate Republican leadership is set to bring to the floor this work period a toxic proposal to hollow-out bipartisan investments in public broadcasting and critical foreign aid programs. Passed by the House earlier this summer, this so-called rescission package is eligible for fast-track consideration in the Senate and can pass with a simple majority vote,” Schumer wrote.

Schumer told his fellow Democrats that defunding the leftwing media was a redline and that they should withhold votes on any government funding bill that doesn’t keep the taxpayer gravy train for PBS and NPR rolling along.

“So, Senate Republicans face a defining choice with consequences that will be felt far beyond the halls of power. They can continue to cower before Donald Trump, governing by fear and fiat. If they do, though, the blame will be theirs to own, the damage and the cost would be American families’ to bear,” Schumer added,

The rule of thumb on government shutdowns is the party that picks the fight comes off as the as the villain in the eyes of the public.

Democrats will have a difficult time explaining that they denied the troops paychecks because the shutdown the government over a $1.1 billion in funding for two leftwing media outlets.

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