Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is facing potential investigation after pictures emerged of the New York Democrat cozying up with Chinese Communist Party insider who has denied the Uyghur genocide — right after Schumer blamed President Donald Trump for a plane crash in Canada.
Schumer drew sharp criticism from the White House over comments blaming the Trump administration for a Toronto plane crash earlier this week.
“It’s incredibly irresponsible for Chuck Schumer to say such a thing when the investigation is still underway,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday on Fox News.
Schumer claimed that the Delta Air Lines crash that injured 18 passengers in Canada was because of Trump’s aggressive scrutiny of federal spending.
Schumer had posted on X: “Meanwhile, Trump’s doing massive layoffs at the FAA – including safety specialists – and making our skies less and less safe.” He later added, “The FAA was still responsible for inspecting the aviation equipment, and Trump just let go of FAA safety specialists.”
Leavitt pointed out that Canadian controllers handled the flight.
“No air-traffic controllers have been let go by Secretary Duffy or this new administration. In fact, Secretary Duffy has put great emphasis on hiring the best and the brightest air-traffic controllers.”
Schumer had previously been facing serious questions about his appearances with Chinese Consul General Chen Li at multiple New York events. Photos from the events recently went viral.
Chen has publicly rejected allegations that Chinese officials were committing a Uyghur genocide, writing in 2021: “It’s hard to imagine how could ‘genocide’ and ‘forced labor’ associated with such a place where population grows steadily, society is safe and open, and people enjoy happy life.”
“The Chinese Communist Party is actively seeking to weaken America from within. Elected officials shouldn’t share the stage with them; they should be working to defeat Beijing,” Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Michael Sobolik told Fox News Digital. “It sends mixed signals when politicians talk about countering the CCP one day then break bread with them the next.”
This should tell everyone where @SenSchumer's loyalties are. It certainly isn't with Americans. Its with his buddies, actual officials from the CCP. pic.twitter.com/1rOD3lrZGf
— Zeppenwolf 🇺🇸 (@The_Zeppenwolf) February 19, 2025
The controversies emerge as investigations continue into the Toronto crash, which saw a Delta plane from Minneapolis roll over upon landing.