Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sharply criticized President Donald Trump on the Senate floor Monday, warning that the administration’s war with Iran lacks a clear strategy and is already costing American lives while driving up prices at home.
Schumer said seven U.S. service members have been killed in the Middle East since the conflict began more than a week ago. Among them was Major Sorffly Davius, an New York City Police Department officer from Queens who was deployed with the 42nd Infantry Division of the United States National Guard and died Friday at a U.S. base in Kuwait.
Schumer described Davius as a public servant who worked to protect Americans both at home and overseas, and he expressed condolences to the families of all U.S. personnel killed since the war began.
Schumer Calls On Trump To Release Oil From Strategic Reserves
But the New York Democrat said the growing death toll underscores a fundamental question about the conflict: what the administration hopes to achieve.
“What are the goals of this war? What does victory even look like?” Schumer said. “We don’t know.”
Schumer called out Trump for launching the war without a coherent plan and called on administration official—including State Secretary Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth—to testify before Congress in public hearings.
“The American people deserve answers,” Schumer stated, urging the Senate to hold hearings to determine why U.S. troops are once again fighting in the Middle East.
Schumer also warned that the conflict is already having major economic consequences. He said global oil prices have surged since the war began, with Brent crude climbing above $100 a barrel and spiking as high as $120. Gasoline prices in the United States have risen by more than 40 cents a gallon, he pointed out, increases that could ripple throughout the economy by driving up shipping costs, airline tickets, and consumer prices.
With inflation already rising, Schumer said the war risks worsening the financial strain facing many American households.
To counter the price surge, Schumer called on Trump to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, arguing the reserve was created specifically to stabilize markets during international crises.
Schumer accused the president of dismissing concerns about rising fuel costs, pointing to Trump’s callous remarks suggesting higher prices would be “a very small price to pay.” The senator said such comments demonstrate a lack of understanding of the financial pressures facing ordinary Americans.
“It’s as if America is being led to war by Marie Antoinette,” Schumer said.
Schumer Warns Further Consequences Of Trump’s War With Iran
The Senate leader also warned that the conflict could escalate if the administration decides to deploy U.S. ground troops. Reports over the weekend suggested the White House is considering sending forces into Iran, a move Schumer said could turn a limited conflict into a prolonged war.
“Once our forces land on the ground, the hard part is getting them out,” he said, warning that targeted operations can quickly expand into long-term military commitments.
Schumer also raised concerns about civilian casualties regarding an airstrike that struck a girls’ elementary school in Iran, killing nearly 170 people, many of them children. A preliminary U.S. assessment indicated American forces were likely responsible for the strike.
Schumer said such tragedies are more likely when wars begin without a clear strategy.
“When presidents launch us into a war without a plan, mistakes multiply, civilians and service members get hurt, and conflicts spiral out of control,” he said.
Schumer concluded that most Americans do not want another prolonged war in the Middle East, warning that the country could be entering a costly and open-ended conflict.
