Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Sunday sharply criticized President Donald Trump after Trump suggested that he was unsure of the interpretation of a recent Supreme Court ruling involving a wrongful deportation, The Hill reported.
During an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," Trump was asked about the administration's response to a Supreme Court ruling ordering the government to "facilitate" the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident wrongfully deported by federal authorities. Trump told host Kristen Welker he was deferring to his legal team, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi.
"I don't know," Trump said when asked whether he was obligated to uphold the Constitution in this case. "I have to respond by saying, again, I have brilliant lawyers that work for me, and they are going to obviously follow what the Supreme Court said. What you said is not what I heard the Supreme Court said. They have a different interpretation."
The comments quickly drew a sharp rebuke from Schumer, who posted a video clip of the interview on X.
"The president has just admitted that he 'doesn't know' whether he needs to uphold the Constitution," Schumer said. "This is as un-American as it gets."
The interview and Schumer's reaction come amid broader Democrat criticism of the Trump administration's immigration policies and seeming disregard for judicial authority. Last month, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., told Welker that the U.S. is in a "constitutional crisis" due to the administration's actions.
"Do you think that the Trump administration is ignoring the courts? Do you think that the country is currently in a constitutional crisis?" Welker asked during a previous "Meet the Press" segment.
"Oh, yes, we are. [They are] very much flouting the courts as we speak," Van Hollen responded, referencing the Abrego Garcia case. "As the courts have said, facilitating his return means something more than doing nothing. And they are doing nothing. Yes, they're absolutely in violation of the court orders as we speak."
The administration's stance on the case has raised alarm among legal experts and immigrant rights advocates. The Supreme Court's ruling directed the federal government to take active steps to reverse the deportation, though Trump's legal team's exact interpretation of "facilitate" remains contested.
Despite the criticism, the president has continued to defend his approach, emphasizing that his legal advisers will determine the administration's next steps. Bondi has not publicly commented on the president's remarks.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.