Trump predicts Schumer will retire before losing primary to AOC amid shutdown showdown

President Donald Trump said that he expects Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., will retire because he doesn’t believe the senator can win in a primary. 

Trump’s comments come as he’s sparred with Schumer and other Democratic leaders like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., over a partial government shutdown that has continued into its ninth day Thursday. 

As a result, Trump said that Schumer and Jeffries are ‘holding the entire federal government hostage.’ However, Trump noted other Democrats like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said just before the shutdown that Republicans can come to her office and negotiate anytime. 

‘She’s taking Hakeem Jeffries’ place, and Schumer’s afraid that she’s gonna run against him. And right now, I don’t know, it can change. Life is crazy, right?’ Trump said during a Cabinet meeting Thursday. ‘But, right now, I don’t think he can beat anybody. So he’ll lose in a primary. I would say he’ll retire before he loses in a primary. I think Schumer is going to retire, because he can’t beat anybody, his polls are so bad.’ 

Trump’s comments also come just after Axios reported in September that Ocasio-Cortez is laying the groundwork for a Senate or presidential run in 2028. 

Schumer’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

Meanwhile, the White House has been at odds with Congressional Democrats over the lapse in funding leading to a government shutdown. While Republicans claim that Democrats were the ones who started the shutdown because they’ve failed to back a stopgap funding bill, Democrats have pinned the blame on Republicans who control both the House and Senate. 

Schumer, in particular, has come under fire from the White House, especially after Schumer told Punchbowl News that conditions improve for Democrats each day the shutdown continues. 

‘Every day gets better for us,’ Schumer told the outlet Wednesday.

In response, Trump said that Schumer was not acting on behalf of the American people. 

‘This is a confession that he’s acting not to serve the people, but to serve the partisan interests of his party,’ Trump said at the Cabinet meeting.