Is Chuck Schumer AFRAID of AOC? 😱 #schumershutdown

Kevin McCarthy says Chuck Schumer’s fear of AOC is leading Democrats straight into the #schumershutdown

Kevin McCarthy, the former House Speaker, accused Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of being too afraid of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) to negotiate a bipartisan spending deal, thereby risking a government shutdown over the September 30, 2025, funding deadline. In an appearance on Fox News’ America’s Newsroom on September 29, 2025, McCarthy stated that Schumer is “holding the country hostage” because he’s unwilling to “stand up to AOC” and progressive Democrats who oppose concessions to Republicans. He elaborated that Schumer’s fear stems from AOC’s fundraising dominance and potential political threat, including rumors of her challenging him in a New York Senate primary.
McCarthy reinforced this in a post on X yesterday: “It’s simple: Chuck Schumer’s fear of AOC is leading Democrats straight into the Schumer Shutdown.” He argued Republicans have the leverage in negotiations and blamed Democratic infighting—exacerbated by AOC’s criticism of Schumer’s past shutdown-avoidance votes—for stalling progress on a continuing resolution. This echoes earlier tensions, such as AOC’s March 2025 public rebuke of Schumer for supporting a GOP-backed funding bill to avert a shutdown, which she called a “tremendous mistake.”