U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday criticized Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for blocking Justice Department political nominees, claiming the senator has “lost his confidence” and that there is “something wrong” with him.
“Something wrong with him, I don’t know. I’ve known him a long time and there’s something wrong. He’s lost his confidence totally. And there’s something wrong with him. I don’t know what it is with Schumer,” Trump said to reporters aboard Air Force One as he traveled to Doha, Qatar.
Schumer placed a blanket hold on all of the administration’s political appointments to the Department of Justice. While such a hold does not prevent confirmations outright, it does require Republicans to dedicate valuable floor time to advancing each nomination through individual votes.
The senator is demanding answers from the Justice Department’s Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) Unit regarding the Trump administration’s possible acceptance of a luxury jet from the Qatari royal family, intended to be used as a future Air Force One. Schumer has called on the department to “disclose all activities by Qatari foreign agents inside the US that could benefit President Trump or the Trump Organization.”
Trump’s remarks came as he continued a high-profile tour of the Middle East. In Doha, the president was greeted with fanfare by Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The welcome included mounted camels, Arabian horses, and a motorcade of red Tesla Cybertrucks — a gesture seen as a nod to senior adviser and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
“We appreciate those camels — I haven’t seen camels like that in a long time,” Trump commented during his arrival.
A formal ceremony at the Amiri Diwan, the emir’s administrative palace, included performances of both national anthems and a traditional tea ceremony. The emir expressed gratitude for Trump’s visit, stating, “We are extremely honored and very happy to have the president visit,” and noting that Trump is “the first American president to officially to visit Qatar.”
Acknowledging Qatar’s diplomatic role in the region, especially amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, the emir said, “I know that you’re a man of peace. I know that you want to bring peace to this region. We all want to do so, and we hope that this time, we can do the right thing and bring peace here in the region.”
Trump responded warmly, referring to the emir as a friend.
