Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer suggested that government efficiency may be at least partially responsible for the Mexican Navy’s tall ships Clashing with Brooklyn Bridge Saturday night.
Schumer filed a claim in a press release on Sunday, saying he was explained to the details of the fatal collision, leaving two people dead and more than dozens more injured. Schumer argued that the U.S. Coast Guard system could be partially operated due to the employment freeze at the Department of Homeland Security, but the Coast Guard itself said the system was “fully functional during the incident.”
“We know that the Trump administration is interfering with the operations of the U.S. Coast Guard, from staffing to command and communications. I have a general sense of dog dysfunction in some of the Coast Guard. “After being fully explained about the Brooklyn Bridge accident last night, one thing is very clear. There are more questions than answers about how the accident occurred and whether it was prevented.”
Schumer points to the employment freeze implemented by Dodge in the US Coast Guard, which claims it could hinder the Coast Guard Vehicle Traffic System (VTS), which functions similarly to the air traffic control system.
Sen. Chuck Schumer of DN.Y. claims that the head of a Mexican naval ship crashing into the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday could be held liable. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
“The service, called VTS, shows that it may not function perfectly or properly in light of its employment freeze. We don’t know the answer to that question. We need an answer. If so, the Brooklyn Bridge accident is a precursor to the public and could immediately call for caution,” Schumer said.
“The current employment freeze at the Department of Homeland Security’s DHS, part of the Coast Guard, could limit the Coast Guard’s ability to fully staff VTS, vehicular traffic services, particularly coastal systems, particularly coastal-wide systems that provide restricted water, such as communistic areas and New York Harbor,” he added.
The Coast Guard rejected Schumer’s claim in its own statement. Furthermore, there were no other ships in the crash crash on Saturday that VTS was involved.
The Coast Guard said the VTS “will be fully functional during the incident and operate in accordance with established procedures to manage commercial traffic and promote safe navigation.”
“Our responses included launching crews from New York Station, establishing temporary safety zones and coordination with NYPD, FDNY and NYC dots,” they added.
The Coast Guard did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
A tall Mexican Navy ship will crash into the Brooklyn Bridge in New York on Saturday. (@thewillienelson/x)
National Traffic Safety Commission (NTSB) announced that it was launching a “Go Team” at Brooklyn Bridge on Sunday.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Cuauhtémoc, a tall Mexican navy ship, said it “lost power and crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge.”
“At this point, out of the 277 people on board, 19 have been injured, two of whom are in serious condition and two more have died from injuries,” the mayor wrote in X.
The Mexican Navy voyage ship that hit the Brooklyn Bridge was moored in Lower Manhattan on May 18, 2025 in New York City. Cuauhtémoc, the Cuauhtémoc who snapped all three masts in a collision with the New York City Landmark Bridge, killed at least two people and injured 19 people. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Mexican President Claudia Sinbaum She said she regretted the death of two crew members “who lost their lives in an unfortunate accident at New York Harbor.”
Click here to get the Fox News app
“Our solidarity and support go out to their families,” she wrote at 1:15am on X.
Daniel Wallace and Greg Weiner of Fox News contributed to this report
