Democrats are in full-blown panic mode as their internal civil war explodes into public view — and this time President Donald Trump isn’t even the one throwing the punches.
Instead, top Democrats are tearing each other apart, exposing just how weak and divided the party has become.
The latest blow came from California Rep. Ro Khanna, who stunned viewers on NBC’s Meet the Press by openly attacking Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Khanna said the shutdown showdown with President Trump proved once and for all that Schumer’s leadership has collapsed.
According to Khanna, Schumer’s performance was the “final straw.”
“He doesn’t inspire confidence. He’s not bold. He’s out of touch with the grassroots,” Khanna complained, accusing Schumer of failing to stand firm and failing to lead. Khanna even slammed Schumer for cheerleading the Iraq War and refusing to take clear positions on issues the left demands.
Khanna said Schumer’s weakness allowed Democrat defections during the recent shutdown fight, leaving the party empty-handed while President Trump held firm.
Khanna didn’t stop there. He accused Schumer of failing to fight for health-care priorities, mishandling negotiations, and refusing to prevent earlier shutdown threats. He said Democrats now need a new Senate leader — someone “stronger,” “bolder,” and not tied to the failures of the past.
He floated names like Chris Murphy, Cory Booker, Brian Schatz, and even Elizabeth Warren as potential replacements — a clear sign that Democrats are preparing for a brutal leadership purge.
And the divide isn’t just in Washington. Even Democrat Senate candidates in Maine and Iowa have publicly supported replacing Schumer, signaling widespread dissatisfaction across the party.
But not everyone on the left agrees.
Sen. Tim Kaine — one of the five Democrats who flipped to reopen the government — defended Schumer on Meet the Press, insisting he has been “an effective leader.” Kaine scolded Khanna and his allies, telling them to “focus on their own leadership” instead of attacking Democrat senators.
Behind the scenes, frustration toward Khanna is boiling over. A former adviser to Kamala Harris mocked him, saying, “You cannot spell rookie without ‘Ro,’” and joked that Khanna has become chair of the “eye-roll caucus.”
Even Obama’s former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel jumped in, telling CNN that Democrats are once again “forming a circular firing squad.” Emanuel warned his own party to stop the infighting, insisting, “Chuck Schumer is not the problem. Donald Trump and Republicans are the problem.”
But Emanuel also admitted something Democrats don’t want to hear: historically, the party responsible for a government shutdown loses — a quiet admission that Democrat strategy has backfired yet again.
With Democrats now publicly feuding, blaming each other, and scrambling to contain the damage, President Trump’s influence continues to reshape Washington. The Democrat Party’s internal collapse is no longer a warning — it’s reality.