Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is postponing several events across the country this week to promote his new book amid Democratic backlash to his handling of last week’s government funding fight.
“Due to security concerns, Senator Schumer’s book events are being rescheduled,” said a statement provided by Risa Heller, who is handling communications for Schumer’s book, “Antisemitism in America: A Warning.”
The postponement comes as protesters were expected to attend the events after Schumer led a group of Senate Democrats to provide key votes to pass a Republican-led government funding bill backed by President Donald Trump to avert a shutdown. Schumer and nine others in the Senate Democratic caucus voted to advance a six-month funding bill Friday, helping it clear a 60-vote hurdle.
The New York Democrat argued that it was the best of two bad options, warning that a shutdown would only play into Trump’s hands and his attempts to dismantle the federal government.
A demonstrator holds up a cutout of Sen. Chuck Schumer during a march Saturday against the DOGE and Trump administration cuts in New York. Gabriele Holtermann / Sipa USA via AP
One of the postponed events in New York was scheduled to be a conversation between Schumer and Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., who joined the criticism of the minority leader’s decision.
“Bailing out the Republicans without extracting anything in return is political malpractice,” Torres wrote on X. In a separate post, he called it a “strategic miscalculation that we as a party might live to regret,” labeling the bill “the best (and possibly only) leverage” that Democrats had to thwart parts of Trump’s agenda.
Apart from New York City, Schumer was also expected to speak about his book in Baltimore, Washington, Philadelphia and several cities in California.
Schumer also met over the weekend with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., in Brooklyn, according to spokespeople for both men, as he continued to deal with the fallout over the shutdown battle.
Jeffries and other House Democratic leaders publicly urged Schumer and Senate Democrats to block the GOP’s government funding bill last week. Jeffries repeatedly deflected questions about whether Schumer should remain the Senate Democratic leader.
Daisy Conant and Lindsey Pipia contributed.
