Trump predicts Schumer will quit before AOC primary amid polls, shutdown fight
“I think .@SenSchumer is going to retire soon because he can’t beat anybody, cause his polls are so bad.” - .@POTUS Trump pic.twitter.com/2oeoVdpKmq
— Erica 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@EricaRN4USA) October 9, 2025
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump predicted that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer will retire before his 2028 re-election bid, claiming the New York Democrat faces internal party pressure and a potential primary challenge from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Trump suggested that Ocasio-Cortez wields more influence over Democrats in Congress than their official leadership.
“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,” Trump said during a meeting at the White House.
He also criticized the party’s leadership amid the ongoing shutdown, saying, “We really don’t know who the hell is leading,” as the government closure entered its ninth day.
Donald Trump predicts Chuck Schumer will retire before 2028 re-election
Speaking at a Cabinet meeting Thursday, October 10, President Donald Trump took aim at Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, accusing them of “holding the entire federal government hostage.” He said Ocasio-Cortez, by contrast, has shown more openness to negotiating with Republicans.
“She’s taking Hakeem Jeffries’ place, and Schumer’s afraid she’s gonna run against him. 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 his polls are so bad,” Trump said, without citing specific data.
Trump also accused Schumer of prioritizing party politics over governance. “This is a confession that he’s acting not to serve the people, but to serve the partisan interests of his party,” he added.
Reports from September indicated that Ocasio-Cortez is exploring future political opportunities, including a possible Senate or presidential run in 2028. Schumer’s office has not commented on Trump’s remarks.
NEW: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could run for president in 2028 according to The Hill.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 29, 2024
One Democrat strategist said their party is impressed with AOC’s ability to “cut through the BS and tell it like it is.”
“She’s somebody who can cut through the noise and doesn’t talk like… pic.twitter.com/3jvri2tinC
Why the US government shut down
The US government shut down after lawmakers failed to reach a deal on a funding plan to keep federal operations running into October.
Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress, do not have the votes in the Senate to pass a spending bill without Democratic support. Democrats are using their leverage to push for policies such as extending healthcare tax credits and reversing Medicaid cuts.
A temporary funding bill passed the House but failed in the Senate, triggering the shutdown. At 12:01 am on Wednesday, October 1, the government officially halted operations.
Schumer drew criticism from the White House after suggesting that the shutdown politically benefits Democrats. “Every day gets better for us,” he reportedly said.
