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DOGE responsible for Brooklyn Bridge-Mexican ship collision? Chuck Schumer's bizarre claim about Trump admin
The Cuauhtémoc is believed to have collided with the bridge after a mechanical failure shut down its steering.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) suggested on Sunday, May 18, that DOGE cuts to the US Coast Guard could have been partly responsible for a Mexican tall ship’s collision with the Brooklyn Bridge. The ship was carrying at least 200 people on board, and two people died as a result of the tragedy. At least 17 were injured.
‘There has been meddling by the Trump administration into USCG staffing’
“We know there has been meddling by the Trump administration into USCG staffing, and we need to know how this might have impacted the events of last night — from a command, communication and local coordination level,” Schumer said in a press release, as reported by the New York Post.
“There are indications that this service [Vehicle Traffic System] may not be fully or adequately functional in light of a hiring freeze,” he said, referring to what he described as the Coast Guard’s “FAA-like traffic control operation.”
“If this were the case, the Brooklyn Bridge accident would be a national harbinger, demanding immediate attention,” he further said.
However, no reports of any other ship being involved in the tragedy on Saturday, May 17, have surfaced. The Cuauhtémoc is believed to have collided with the bridge after a mechanical failure shut down its steering. The massive vessel was thus left at the mercy of East River currents, which pulled it towards the bridge. Two navy cadets died in the tragedy.
The Coast Guard said in a recent press release that it responded to the scene of the collision immediately after being notified. “Sector New York immediately launched a crew from Coast Guard Station New York to the scene and established a safety zone from the Brooklyn Bridge to the Manhattan Bridge,” the release said. “New York Vessel Traffic Services suspended commercial traffic in the area.”
Since being formed earlier this year, President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency has cut staffing and budgets across various agencies. DOGE’s cuts included the Coast Guard, which eliminated its Logistics Information Management System. It was meant to manage configuration, maintenance, supply chain and technical data. The system’s cutting reportedly saved the agency more than $32 million.
