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WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said President Donald Trump’s escalating attacks on the judiciary have resulted in a constitutional crisis in the United States.
In an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” Schumer assailed Trump’s recent calls to impeach a judge who ruled against him in a case involving his efforts to deport Venezuelan immigrants. Judges and plaintiffs in some cases have accused Trump of violating or sidestepping court orders as he faces a litany of legal challenges to his executive actions.
When asked if he agrees with scholars who say the U.S. is in a constitutional crisis, Schumer responded, “Yes, I do.”
“And democracy is at risk. Look, Donald Trump is a lawless, angry man. He thinks he should be king. He thinks he should do whatever he wants, regardless of the law, and he thinks judges should just listen to him,” Schumer told moderator Kristen Welker. The full interview will air on “Meet the Press” on Sunday.
“Now we have to fight that back in every single way. And we actually have had over 100 cases in the courts where we’ve had a very good record of success. So Donald Trump, infuriated by that success, said judges should be impeached,” Schumer added. “Democrats in the Senate will not impeach judges. Full stop.”
Federal judges are confirmed by the Senate to serve a lifetime tenure. Removing a judge through impeachment requires a majority vote in the House of Representatives and two-thirds of the Senate, meaning 67 votes. Republicans control 53 seats.
A constitutional crisis refers to a political conflict that the Constitution is unable to resolve. Some legal experts have argued that Trump is defying — or laying the groundwork to delegitimize and ignore — rulings from a co-equal branch of government.
Trump has denied he has defied court orders. White House officials have argued that judges have overstepped their authority at times, including in a recent order to turn back a deportation flight to El Salvador carrying Venezuelans accused of being gang members.
“I don’t trust him,” Schumer said. “We have to watch him like a hawk. Defying court orders is why our democracy is at risk and we’ll have to do everything to fight back in that regard.”
Watch the full interview this Sunday on Meet the Press with Kristen Welker. Check your local listings.
Sahil Kapur is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.
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