Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has been left red-faced after he attempted to claim that President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was to blame for a ship crashing into the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City.
On Saturday night, a Mexican Navy tall ship crashed into the iconic bridge, leaving two people dead and over a dozen more injured.
On Sunday, Schumer issued a press release claiming he’d been briefed on the fatal accident.
Schumer alleged that a U.S. Coast Guard system may have been operating at partial capacity due to a DOGE hiring freeze at the Department of Homeland Security.
However, the Coast Guard has fired back and debunked Schumer’s divisive claims.
The Coast Guard confirmed that the system was “fully functional during the incident.”
In a statement, Schumer wrote:
“We know that the Trump administration has been meddling in U.S. Coast Guard operations, from staffing to command and comms, and I have the general sense of a DOGE dysfunction in parts of the Coast Guard, to put it mildly.
“After being fully briefed on last night’s Brooklyn Bridge accident, one thing is very clear.
“There are many more questions than answers as to how the accident occurred and whether it could have been prevented.”
Schumer went on to point to the DOGE-implemented hiring freeze at the Coast Guard.
The Democrat leader argues it could have impeded the Coast Guard’s Vehicle Traffic System (VTS), which works in a similar fashion to the air traffic control system.
“There are indications that this service called the VTS may not have been fully or adequately functional in light of that hiring freeze,” Schumer said.
“We don’t know the answer to that question. We need answers.
“If this were the case, the Brooklyn Bridge accident could be a national harbinger, demanding immediate attention.”
“The current hiring freeze at the Department of Homeland Security, DHS, which the Coast Guard is part of, may have limited the ability of the Coast Guard to fully staff up at the VTS, the vehicle traffic service, the shore-wide system that provides quote air traffic control for the seas, especially in congested areas and restricted waters like New York Harbor,” he added.
The Coast Guard rejected Schumer’s claim in a statement of its own.
Furthermore, there were no other ships involved in Saturday’s crash that would have involved the VTS.
In a statement, the Coast Guard said that VTS was “fully functional during the incident and operating in accordance with established procedures to manage commercial traffic and facilitate safe navigation.”
“Our response included launching a crew from Station New York, establishing a temporary safety zone, and coordinating with NYPD, FDNY, and NYC DOT,” the statement added.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced Sunday it was launching a “go-team” to the Brooklyn Bridge the crash.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said the Mexican navy tall ship Cuauhtémoc “lost power and crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge.”
“At this time, of the 277 on board, 19 sustained injuries, 2 of which remain in critical condition, and 2 more have sadly passed away from their injuries,” the mayor wrote on X.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she regretted the passing of two crew members who “lost their lives in the unfortunate accident at the port of New York.”
“Our solidarity and support go out to their families,” she wrote at 1:15 a.m. on X.
“The Secretariat of the Navy, with the support of local authorities, is attending to the injured.
“The Ambassador of Mexico to the United States and staff from the Consulate General of Mexico in New York are assisting the Secretariat of the Navy.”
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