Trump tells Schumer to apologize 'now' after Senate attack on ICE agents

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump on Thursday, April 23, criticized Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer over remarks about US immigration enforcement agencies, intensifying a partisan clash over border security funding.

The exchange follows Senate movement on a $70 billion funding framework for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol.

Trump accused Schumer of making “dangerous” statements, while Democrats argued Republicans were prioritizing enforcement spending over economic concerns. The dispute comes amid broader tensions over government funding and the risk of a shutdown later this year.

Trump rebukes Chuck Schumer and demands apology over ICE remarks

Trump sharply criticized Schumer after the Democratic leader said during a Senate debate that “nobody respects” ICE and Border Patrol. Responding in a Truth Social post, Trump wrote:

“Wow! Cryin’ Chuck Schumer just said, for the whole World to hear, that ‘NOBODY RESPECTS BORDER PATROL OR ICE’. That is one of the most egregious, incorrect, unpatriotic, and dangerous statements I have EVER heard from a ‘professional’ politician. HE MUST IMMEDIATELY APOLOGIZE TO THESE GREAT PATRIOTS, AND I MEAN NOW!”

The comments came as Senate Republicans advanced a $70 billion funding plan aimed at supporting border enforcement agencies through the remainder of Trump’s term.

The proposal is part of a broader effort to secure funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

Republican lawmakers echoed Trump’s criticism of Schumer’s remarks. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso said Democrats were obstructing efforts to support federal enforcement personnel.

“Today’s Democrats are a rogue and radical party,” Barrasso said, adding that border agencies require “the tools and support from Congress necessary to carry out the mission Congress has given you.”

Chuck Schumer defends position amid shutdown funding debate

Schumer made his remarks during a late-night Senate debate, arguing that Republicans were prioritizing funding for ICE and Border Patrol over addressing the rising cost of living.

“America is crying out for relief from high costs, and you’re here adding $140 billion to an agency that nobody, two groups, Border Patrol and ICE, that nobody respects in this country,” Schumer said. 

Democrats have broadly argued that additional funding for enforcement agencies should be paired with policy changes and economic relief measures.

Meanwhile, some Republican senators warned that disagreements over funding could lead to another government shutdown ahead of the November midterm elections. 

Senator John Kennedy said he believed Democrats could block funding legislation. “I think my Democratic friends are going to shut down the government right before the midterms,” he said on the Senate floor, adding, “I hope I’m wrong, and if I am, please make me wrong, I will come to this floor and apologize.”

Kennedy proposed combining measures aimed at preventing shutdowns, including automatic stopgap funding and provisions to ensure essential federal workers are paid during funding lapses. 

He said the goal was to prepare “in case anybody tries to do a shutdown on us.”

Other Republicans, including Senator Ted Cruz, also suggested that a shutdown could occur around the end of the fiscal year. “On September 30, funding for the federal government will end,” Cruz said, predicting Democrats could allow a lapse in funding for political advantage.