Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is the worst kind of politician – one who claims to stand for a cause but refuses to fight for it. He presents himself as a proud Jew, a defender of Israel, and a responsible leader, though in reality, he is none of those things.
As Senate Minority Leader, he has repeatedly chosen political convenience over principle, allowing his party to drift into dangerous territory while staying silent.
Schumer’s refusal to bring the Antisemitism Awareness Act to the Senate floor after it was passed in the House last year is proof of his cowardice. This bill was designed to address the growing wave of antisemitism in the United States, something that should have been an obvious priority. Yet, Schumer did nothing. He had the power to push it forward but refused.
What does that say about his leadership? About his values? About his so-called commitment to the Jewish people?
Schumer’s refusal to act was not an accident but part of a larger pattern. Under the Biden-Harris administration, the United States restored funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, an organization long accused of ties to Hamas.
US President Donald Trump had cut this funding for a good reason – there were legitimate concerns that money meant for humanitarian aid was being funneled to Hamas.
Schumer, despite Trump’s influence, supported Biden’s decision. He helped put American taxpayer dollars back into the hands of an agency that has a history of supporting terrorism.
Meanwhile, antisemitism is thriving within his own party. Figures like Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib have pushed anti-Israel rhetoric that would have been unthinkable from elected officials a decade ago.
Instead of condemning them, Schumer has looked the other way. He has failed to call out their inflammatory remarks, failed to challenge their growing influence, and failed to take a stand against the radical wing of his party.
Even Kamala Harris, a leader Schumer still fully supports, has entertained dangerous narratives about Israel. When confronted by a pro-Palestinian activist, she nodded along and agreed that their perspective was “valid.” The former vice president of the United States failed to defend America’s closest ally in the Middle East. Schumer said nothing. He allowed it to happen.
Schumer's hypocrisy
This is not just about Israel. Schumer’s hypocrisy extends to every major issue. He once championed strong border policies, acknowledging the dangers of unchecked immigration. Now, he fully embraces the Democratic Party’s open-borders agenda, allowing millions of illegal migrants to pour into the country with no real plan.
Schumer once positioned himself as a moderate voice on crime. Now, he aligns with a party that has demonized law enforcement and allowed cities to descend into chaos. His entire career is a case study in political survival over moral conviction.
Schumer has become a master at pretending to lead while doing nothing. He speaks in careful, calculated soundbites, ensuring he never offends the progressive activists who now control his party. He allows others to take bold positions – sometimes even radical ones – while he remains just enough in the middle to avoid direct backlash. But this is not leadership. This is cowardice.
The Democratic Party, once a reliable supporter of Israel and Jewish causes, is changing. The far-left influence is growing. Pro-Palestinian protests are no longer fringe; they are mainstream among Democratic activists. The Left is willing to compromise on Israel in ways that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.
Schumer, as one of the most powerful Democrats in the country, has had every opportunity to push back. Instead, he has let it happen.
What makes this worse is that Schumer knows better. Unlike younger progressives who have been raised on anti-Israel talking points, he has spent his career understanding the importance of a strong US-Israel relationship. He knows the stakes. He knows the history. Yet he has chosen to stay silent for the sake of political safety. That is what makes him a disgrace.
There was a time when Chuck Schumer could have been a force for good. There was a time when he could have used his power to steer the Democratic Party back to reason, back to the days when support for Israel was bipartisan, law enforcement was respected, and leadership actually meant something.
But that time has passed. Schumer made his choice. He has embraced weakness, he has allowed antisemitism to fester in his own party, and he has abandoned the people he once claimed to stand for.
History will not remember Schumer kindly. He will not be seen as a fighter, a visionary, or a defender of his people. He will be remembered for what he truly is: a man who sacrificed his values for the sake of power. And that, more than anything, is why Chuck Schumer is the biggest disgrace of the Democratic Party.
The writer is a high school student from Great Neck, New York, passionate about advocacy and government. Through his writing and activism, he engages others in meaningful conversations about US politics, international relations, and Israel’s significance as both a homeland for the Jewish people and a key ally of the United States.