In what many are calling a new low in political opportunism, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has found himself at the center of a backlash after a truly baffling tweet and press release that attempted to connect a tragic maritime accident to—of all people—Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
With the Brooklyn Bridge strike last night:
I’m fighting for answers about whether Trump and DOGE have impacted water traffic control.
We know they’ve been meddling with U.S. Coast Guard staffing.
Trump relieved Admiral Linda Fagan as Commandant of the USCG, and that position…
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) May 18, 2025
The incident in question was a catastrophic collision involving the Mexican Navy’s tall ship, which struck the Brooklyn Bridge after reportedly experiencing mechanical failure while backing out of its berth. The impact left two people dead and at least 22 injured, prompting swift responses from emergency crews and the U.S. Coast Guard.
But instead of allowing investigators to do their work and families to grieve, Schumer chose this moment to launch a politically charged attack, posting on X:
“I’m fighting for answers about whether Trump and DOGE have impacted water traffic control. We know they’ve been meddling with U.S. Coast Guard staffing.”
He further blamed the Trump administration for relieving Admiral Linda Fagan and leaving the USCG’s top post vacant, and claimed a hiring freeze had hobbled the Coast Guard’s Vehicle Traffic Service (VTS)—which Schumer likened to air traffic control for ships.
Minority Leader Schumer’s accusations that a hiring freeze led to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Vessel Traffic Services not being adequately staffed are FALSE. The US Coast Guard has been fully supported and been exempt from hiring freezes. Additionally, this incident had nothing to do… https://t.co/BR4iJX2oX9
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) May 18, 2025
Let’s be clear: there is zero evidence linking this maritime disaster to anything involving Trump, Musk, or DOGE. In fact, early reports indicate mechanical failure aboard the ship was to blame. There were no other vessels involved, rendering any reference to VTS operations completely irrelevant.
Even the Department of Homeland Security stepped in to correct the record, calling Schumer’s claims “misleading” and confirming that:
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The Coast Guard was exempt from the federal hiring freeze.
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The VTS system was not involved in the incident.
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The Coast Guard responded swiftly and effectively to the crash.
Their response was scathing:
“Senator Schumer should get his facts straight before misleading the American people. This tragic event is not the place for political gamesmanship.”
The public didn’t miss a beat. Within hours of his tweet, Schumer was thoroughly ratioed on X, with commenters across the political spectrum expressing disgust at the blatant politicization of tragedy. Many pointed out that even for Schumer, a seasoned partisan, this was a disgraceful and transparent attempt to spin a human catastrophe into a baseless attack on his political opponents.
Mexican vessel: Loses control, hits bridge
Schumer: I’ll never forgive Drumpf for this! https://t.co/XpPgeDPG1e
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) May 18, 2025
To take a maritime disaster—a deadly one—and morph it into a Trump/Musk conspiracy theory, using buzzwords like “national security” and “infrastructure protection” without a shred of proof, is cynicism at its worst.
