Rights groups roundly criticized the president’s remarks. “He’s not Jewish anymore,” Trump said of the Senate minority leader. “He’s a Palestinian.”

Trump repeated a campaign refrain Wednesday when he called Schumer a "Palestinian." Schumer is the highest-ranking elected official in Washington D.C.

The comment came during a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin as Republicans try to get a government spending bill enacted before funding runs out on Friday evening.