(Image Credit: IMAGN)
Washington D.C. – President Donald Trump on Wednesday referred to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as a “Palestinian” while defending the GOP’s government spending bill and addressing concerns over corporate taxes and grocery prices.
“Schumer is a Palestinian, as far as I’m concerned,” Trump said in response to a question about the U.S. corporate tax rate during an Oval Office meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin. “He’s become a Palestinian. He used to be Jewish. He’s not Jewish anymore.”
Schumer, who is Jewish and not of Palestinian heritage, has been a frequent target of Trump’s attacks. During the campaign, Trump repeatedly used similar language, at one point calling Schumer a “proud member of Hamas.” He has also criticized Jewish voters who support Democrats, calling them “fools” who need “their head examined.”
GOP Pushes for Spending Bill as Deadline Looms
Trump’s remarks come as congressional Republicans work to pass a government spending bill ahead of a Friday night funding deadline. The bill requires at least eight Democratic votes in the Senate to pass, assuming all Republicans support it.
EU Announces Retaliatory Tariffs
Beyond the domestic political battle, Trump is also facing escalating trade tensions with the European Union. On Wednesday morning, the EU announced a two-stage tariff retaliation on €26 billion worth of U.S. exports in response to Trump’s 25 percent global tariffs on steel and aluminum.
When asked about a potential U.S. response, Trump said, “Of course I will respond,” but did not provide further details.
Egg Prices and Inflation Concerns
During the same meeting, Trump touted efforts to reduce grocery prices, particularly for eggs, following Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ bird flu response strategy launched in late February. The Department of Agriculture has been working to import eggs from countries like Turkey to stabilize prices.
“In a very short period of time we’ve done very well,” Trump said.
On Tuesday, Rollins told reporters at the White House that egg prices had dropped by $1.85. However, new Consumer Price Index data released Wednesday showed that egg prices have reached a record high of $5.90 per dozen, surpassing the previous record of $4.95 per dozen in January. The USDA projects that prices could increase more than 40 percent in 2025, raising concerns about inflation’s continued impact on American consumers.
