President Donald Trump lashed out at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Saturday after bipartisan talks to confirm dozens of his executive branch nominees broke down just before the August recess.
Trump slammed Schumer’s push for $1 billion in exchange for advancing confirmations, calling it “political extortion.”
“This is unprecedented extortion and obstructionism. Tell the Dems to pound sand. They had their chance. Enough games. Call a recess and start making recess…” he wrote in a post shared on social media.
“Senator Cryin’ Chuck Schumer is demanding over One Billion Dollars in order to approve a small number of our highly qualified nominees, who should right now be helping to run our Country,” Trump said on Truth Social. “GO TO HELL!”
Trump had urged Senate Republicans to stay in Washington and clear the backlog of political appointees. But negotiations between Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Schumer collapsed, leaving many of Trump’s nominees in limbo.
Thune reportedly tried to arrange a two-part agreement that would confirm one set of nominees before the break and another afterward. However, Democrats tied the deal to unrelated spending demands, including reversing freezes on foreign aid and National Institutes of Health funding.
Trump denounced those conditions as “extortion” and told Republicans to reject the deal.
“Do not accept the offer, go home and explain to your constituents what bad people the Democrats are, and what a great job the Republicans are doing,” Trump said. “Have a great RECESS and, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”
Schumer responded on X: “Let me clear what happened: Donald Trump attempted to steamroll the Senate to put in place his historically unqualified nominees. But Senate Democrats wouldn’t let him.”
In the end, the Senate confirmed only seven nominees before adjournment, with more than 100 still awaiting votes. Republicans are expected to revisit the issue—and potential procedural changes—after the recess.
