Analysis · Floor speech · beta

Charles E. Schumer

Democrat on Legislative Session 2026-09-17

1264 words · 63 sentences · 86 clauses

Statement grade

Average 78 / 100

A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.

Claims 56%Reasoning 12%Procedure 2%Positioning 23%The ask 5%Promise 3%

This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.

Mr. President, Claims · 69 wordsfirst on China and AI, the evidence for the potential dangers of unchecked AI continue to grow and grow, but Donald Trump keeps brushing off America’s concerns about AI’s risks. Trump justifies his support for unregulated AI by saying that is how we beat China in the AI race, but his refusal to join us in blocking the sale of the most advanced chips to China does the opposite: Reasoning · 35 wordsIt lets China get ahead of us. The best tool we have to outcompete China and curb the CCP’s AI ambitions is by prohibiting their access to the most advanced AI chips and manufacturing equipment. Procedure · 7 wordsI have been saying it for years.Procedure Claims · 39 wordsA group of us have introduced bipartisan legislation to the NDAA to stop it.¹ National security experts agree that we have to stop the sale of these chips to China. Many of my Republican colleagues agree. But Trump doesn’t, Positioning · 10 wordsand he is the biggest barrier standing in the way.Positioning Claims · 42 wordsTrump keeps saying he wants to curb China, but he keeps standing in the way of the best method we have to make sure China doesn’t get ahead of us and beat us in this competition over what to do with AI. The ask · 8 wordsStop selling them the most advanced chips, Donald. Procedure · 3 wordsDonald, listen already, ProcedurePositioning · 19 wordsbecause you are hurting America and making the world more dangerous by what you are doing on these chips.Positioning Procedure · 1 wordsDonald, ProcedureThe ask · 24 wordsif you want to get a leg up on China over AI, join us in stopping them from getting our chips, plain and simple. Claims · 75 wordsTrump could protect this technology and America’s lead in the AI race today. Before Trump meets with Xi Jinping next week, he needs to draw a line in the sand and say that blocking the Chinese Communist Party’s access to our cutting-edge AI technology is nonnegotiable.² This was a longstanding policy of the America Government, of both parties, until Trump started listening to his cronies that America’s security was up for negotiation with our enemies. Reasoning · 71 wordsWe need to reject the false choice Trump keeps presenting. We can both maintain our lead in the AI race by restricting China’s access to our technology, and we can put up guardrails to mitigate AI’s risk at the same time. These goals are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they are fundamentally intertwined. AI development that leads to a catastrophic event and the loss of public trust will undermine America’s leadership. Claims · 10 wordsDemocrats are working on measures to accomplish both these priorities, Vague promiseThe ask · 12 wordsand Republicans need to get on board before it is too late. Reasoning · 44 wordsMake no mistake, without guardrails to ensure safe, sustainable AI innovation--and there is a lot of good that can come from the transformational innovation of AI--the AI race will become a race to the bottom, Unearned certaintyand that is no victory for the American people. Mr. President, Positioning · 21 wordson interest rates, every day, we see how much the chaos Donald Trump injects into our economy costs the American people.Positioning Claims · 79 wordsYesterday, the Federal Reserve increased interest rates for the first time in 3 years to fight Trumpflation fueled by the President’s tariffs and the disastrous war against Iran.³ Everything is going to become more expensive because Donald ``I love inflation’’ Trump is doing everything he can to drive up costs. Every time an American takes out a loan for a house, a car, a credit card, or anything else, they are going to get settled with higher interest payments. Positioning · 10 wordsTrump indulges in his chaos and corruption; Americans pay more.Positioning Procedure · 6 wordsIt is as simple as that.Procedure Claims · 43 wordsInstead of doing anything to bring down costs, to stop his tariffs, to end his war, Trump does what he always does and calls ``affordability’’ a ``made up’’ word. This man doesn’t get it. He said it again in North Carolina just yesterday.⁴ Positioning · 47 wordsDoes Donald Trump think North Carolina voters think that ``affordability’’ is a made-up word? Does Donald think that when North Carolina families sit around the kitchen table and figure out which bills they can afford to pay and not afford to pay, that that is made up?Positioning Claims · 31 wordsWhen he says these things in North Carolina, he may be saying it to a few hundred of his MAGA supporters, but the rest of North Carolina hears it and says: Positioning · 40 wordsI don’t want this guy, and I don’t want a Senator who is going to go along with it. Only Trump could look at this economic pain he has inflicted on the American people and claim he is the victim.Positioning Procedure · 1 wordsDonald, ProcedureThe ask · 13 wordsif the word ``affordability’’ bothers you so much, then do something about it. Positioning · 5 wordsStop with the pity party.Positioning Claims · 33 wordsTrump also bashed the Federal Reserve Board for simply doing its job and renewed his threat to cut off a vast swath of U.S. trade if the Fed refuses to lower interest rates. Positioning · 16 wordsDonald Trump wants to hold the American economy hostage and demand the Fed pay the ransom.Positioning Claims · 32 wordsTrump isn’t doing anything to lower costs, and neither are Senate Republicans. Just yesterday, I pushed to pass my legislation to end Trump’s tariff tax and deliver some relief to American families. Positioning · 3 wordsWho blocked it?Positioning Claims · 56 wordsSenate Republicans, of course. That was the Republicans’ first chance to lower costs for Americans since we have been back from our State activities for 5 weeks, and based on their schedule, it is also likely Republicans’ last opportunity to stop Trump’s costly tariffs before election day. Instead of lowering families’ costs, Republicans voted against us.⁵ Procedure · 4 wordsAgain, the bottom line: ProcedureClaims · 27 wordsThis may have been the last opportunity to get rid of these tariffs, which are raising Americans’ costs, before Leader Thune calls the session to a close. Positioning · 28 wordsRepublicans better get ready to pay a political cost in November on par with the economic costs they have inflicted on the American people. America doesn’t like it.PositioningUnearned certainty Mr. President, Claims · 124 wordsfinally, on the Iran war, well, Trump continues to downplay the severe costs of his failed war in Iran. This week, we learned that the war has cost the Pentagon at least--at least--$38 billion and American motorists over $100 billion in extra gas costs.⁶ I saw on TV this morning that the price is approaching $4.40 a gallon, ⁷and it keeps going up. And the $38 billion is just a minimum estimate. But, yesterday, campaigning in North Carolina, Trump said the hundreds of billions of dollars he is burning on this war is ``a very inexpensive price’’-- those are his words--``to pay for what we’ve done’’ in Iran--spoken like a billionaire who has never filled his own gas tank 1 day in his life.⁸ Procedure · 3 wordsEarth to Trump: ProcedureClaims · 18 words$4.50 a gallon for gas and a record $6.40 a gallon for diesel isn’t inexpensive for working Americans.⁹ Positioning · 44 wordsWhat exactly does Trump think this cost has gotten the American people? Is it the Iranian regime in Tehran that is even more radical than before the war? Is it Iran’s tightening grip on the Strait of Hormuz and other key shipping choke points.Positioning Claims · 24 wordsHow about the 18 brave U.S. servicemembers killed, hundreds more wounded, tens of thousands kept in harm’s way for months and months on end?¹⁰ Positioning · 21 wordsThe only thing Trump has done in Iran is make everything worse. How can my Republican colleagues go along with this?Positioning Promise · 36 wordsSenate Democrats--make no mistake about it--Senate Democrats will push for another vote on a War Powers Resolution next week to bring our troops home and will continue to force votes until Trump ends his Iranian blunder. Reasoning · 5 wordsSenate Republicans have a choice: Positioning · 21 wordsKeep forcing Americans to pay the cost of Trump’s forever war or stop kissing the ring and join us in it.Positioning Procedure · 4 wordsI yield the floor.Procedure

At a glance

Lost points for

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 64

29 of 32 deductions are Signal

Signal checks whether every part makes a point, gives a reason, or asks for action. A low score means the speaker filled time with fluff, pleasantries, or attacks.

Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I have been saying it for years.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “and he is the biggest barrier standing in the way.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “Donald, listen already,”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “because you are hurting America and making the world more dangerous by what you are doing on these chips.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “Donald,”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “on interest rates, every day, we see how much the chaos Donald Trump injects into our economy costs the American people.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Trump indulges in his chaos and corruption;”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Americans pay more.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “It is as simple as that.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Does Donald Trump think North Carolina voters think that ``affordability’’ is a made-up word?”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Does Donald think that when North Carolina families sit around the kitchen table and figure out which bills they can afford to pay and not afford to pay, that that is made up?”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “I don’t want this guy,”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “and I don’t want a Senator who is going to go along with it.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Only Trump could look at this economic pain he has inflicted on the American people and claim he is the victim.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “Donald,”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Stop with the pity party.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Donald Trump wants to hold the American economy hostage and demand the Fed pay the ransom.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Who blocked it?”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “Again, the bottom line:”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Republicans better get ready to pay a political cost in November on par with the economic costs they have inflicted on the American people.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “America doesn’t like it.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “Earth to Trump:”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “What exactly does Trump think this cost has gotten the American people?”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Is it the Iranian regime in Tehran that is even more radical than before the war?”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Is it Iran’s tightening grip on the Strait of Hormuz and other key shipping choke points.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “The only thing Trump has done in Iran is make everything worse.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “How can my Republican colleagues go along with this?”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Keep forcing Americans to pay the cost of Trump’s forever war or stop kissing the ring and join us in it.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I yield the floor.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · no score

Not applicable: nothing to answer. Excluded from the average.

Relevance checks whether the speaker stays on topic and answers the question asked. A low score means the speaker dodged the issue.

Respect · no score

Not checked: graded before this measurement existed. Excluded from the average.

Respect checks whether the speaker argued with people’s positions and records rather than attacking the people: insults, mockery, or bad motives assigned to them. Criticism of what someone did, however strong, is not marked.

Clarity · 93

3 of 32 deductions are Clarity

Clarity checks for plain speaking, clear ownership of actions, and honest limits on certainty. A low score means vague promises or evasive language.

A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible.What the tags mean “Democrats are working on measures”The commitment names no specific measure, date, or standard of success.
Something stated as certain with nothing to back it.What the tags mean “Make no mistake”A certainty formula asserts the outcome in place of a source or argument.
Something stated as certain with nothing to back it.What the tags mean “America doesn’t like it”A blanket claim about the whole country’s view is asserted without any source.

Claims · 10

This list shows the factual statements you can check for yourself: the words as said, and the claim restated to stand on its own.

1“A group of us have introduced bipartisan legislation to the NDAA to stop it”A bipartisan group of senators including Schumer has introduced legislation to the National Defense Authorization Act to prohibit the sale of the most advanced AI chips to China.search
2“Before Trump meets with Xi Jinping next week”President Trump was scheduled to meet with Xi Jinping the week after September 17, 2026.search
3“Yesterday, the Federal Reserve increased interest rates for the first time in 3 years”On September 16, 2026, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the first time in 3 years.search
4“He said it again in North Carolina just yesterday”On September 16, 2026, in North Carolina, Trump again called ‘affordability’ a made-up word.search
5“Republicans voted against us”Senate Republicans voted down Schumer’s legislation to end the Trump tariffs when he pushed for its passage on September 16, 2026.search
6“the war has cost the Pentagon at least--at least--$38 billion and American motorists over $100 billion in extra gas costs”The war in Iran has cost the Pentagon at least $38 billion and American motorists over $100 billion in extra gas costs.search
7“the price is approaching $4.40 a gallon”On the morning of September 17, 2026, average U.S. gasoline prices were approaching $4.40 a gallon.search
8“Trump said the hundreds of billions of dollars he is burning on this war is ``a very inexpensive price’’-- those are his words--``to pay for what we’ve done’’”While campaigning in North Carolina on September 16, 2026, Trump said the cost of the war in Iran was ‘a very inexpensive price’ to pay for what we’ve done.search
9“$4.50 a gallon for gas and a record $6.40 a gallon for diesel”U.S. gas prices were at $4.50 a gallon and diesel at a record $6.40 a gallon as of September 17, 2026.search
10“the 18 brave U.S. servicemembers killed, hundreds more wounded”18 U.S. servicemembers have been killed and hundreds more wounded in the war with Iran.search

Analyzed on 2026-10-17