Schumer apologises for calling Republicans ‘b******s’ live on air

Senate leader Schumer faces backlash over controversial comment on Republicans.

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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) apologised after calling Republicans "b******s" live on MSNBC during a heated discussion over his decision to vote in favour of the GOP’s stopgap funding plan to avert a federal shutdown.

The comment came during Schumer's appearance on “All In,” where he expressed frustration over the Republican-backed continuing resolution (CR) designed to fund the government through September.

Schumer, who faced backlash from progressives, was attempting to explain the need to avoid a government shutdown.

“It’s much, much better not to be in the middle of a shutdown, which could divert people from the No. 1 issue we have against these bastards — sorry, these people — which is not only all these cuts, but they’re ruining democracy,” Schumer said.

Schumer’s apology followed the remark, with the Democratic leader quickly correcting himself during the broadcast.

The Senate is scheduled to vote on the stopgap spending bill on Friday, with a midnight deadline to fund the government. While Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, most legislation, including the CR, requires 60 votes to advance due to the filibuster rule.

The proposed bill, which would boost defence spending while cutting nondefence programs, has sparked criticism from many Democrats who argue the proposal was drafted without significant Democratic input.

Earlier this week, Schumer had called for a “clean” 30-day government funding plan, which would provide time for bipartisan negotiations.

However, the House passed its version of the spending plan on a near party-line vote, and with the House adjourning for the week, Schumer’s vote to advance the stopgap plan became crucial.

Progressives voiced strong opposition to Schumer’s decision to vote for the stopgap measure, and President Trump praised Schumer on Truth Social, calling it “the right thing” and commending his “guts” and “courage.”

During his MSNBC appearance, Schumer also criticised President Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk, accusing them of being “authoritarians” and working to advance their own agenda at the expense of government functions.

Schumer warned that a shutdown, pushed by Musk and Trump’s allies, could result in cuts to key programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and Medicaid.

He expressed concern that the shutdown would leave certain government employees deemed “non-essential” permanently out of work, creating long-term damage to essential services.