U.S. Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA) is pushing for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to “step aside.” Criticizing Schumer (and six other Senate Democrats) who voted with Republicans against blocking a proposed weapons sale to Israel, Khanna wrote: “Mr. Schumer, you are out of touch with our base and the nation. Step aside.”
[NOTE: The other six Democratic Senators are Richard Blumenthal (CT), Chris Coons (DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (NV), Jacky Rosen (NV), Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), and John Fetterman (PA).]
As seen below, on Wednesday, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) forced votes on the U.S. Senate floor “to block nearly half a billion dollars in bombs and bulldozers to Israel.”
Sanders added: “U.S. taxpayers are tired of Netanyahu’s extremist and illegal behavior. Congress cannot write another blank check to war criminals.”
I’m now forcing votes on the U.S. Senate floor to block nearly half a billion dollars in bombs and bulldozers to Israel.
U.S. taxpayers are tired of Netanyahu’s extremist and illegal behavior. Congress cannot write another blank check to war criminals. https://t.co/6HOUItLm6D
— Sen. Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) April 15, 2026
U.S. Representative Mike Lawler (R-NY) replied to Khanna: “I dislike Chuck Schumer more than anyone, but you are a fraud. You were sitting next to a fellow Democrat when @AOC came out against aid to Israel and blurted out that now you need to come out against it. You aren’t a leader. You blow with the wind to appease your radical base.”
[NOTE: Both Lawler and Khanna are running for re-election in their congressional districts.]
Chuck Schumer was one of 7 Senate Democrats to vote to send bulldozers to Israel. 40 Democratic Senators voted no.
Mr. Schumer, you are out of touch with our base and the nation.
Step aside. https://t.co/FnOMgApkqN pic.twitter.com/gwGX7OCXmm
— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) April 16, 2026
Khanna replied to Lawler: “Do you just make stuff up? I was in Rhode Island at Brown when I announced my opposition to all aid to Israel. I was not even in DC, let alone sitting next to any Democratic colleague. You did give Dems our midterm slogan when you said. ‘No one believes anything being put out’ by Trump! Thank you.”
Do you just make stuff up? I was in Rhode Island at Brown when I announced my opposition to all aid to Israel. I was not even in DC, let alone sitting next to any Democratic colleague.
You did give Dems our midterm slogan when you said.
“No one believes anything being put out”… https://t.co/YpASkRelep
— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) April 16, 2026