Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) found himself at the center of a social media roasting after he shared a photograph of himself grilling burgers for Father’s Day at his daughter and her wife’s new house. In the now-deleted post, Schumer expressed his excitement about having a backyard barbecue for the first time in their apartment building years. However, people quickly pointed out that one of the hamburger patties had cheese on it while it was still raw, sparking a wave of mockery online.
Tell me you’ve never grilled before without telling me you’ve never grilled before,” commented Siraj Hashmi in a tweet featuring the photo. Another user expressed frustration with how easy it is to make fun of Democrats, while others criticized Schumer for his lack of understanding about basic grilling techniques. Matt Walsh, host of The Matt Walsh Show podcast, pointed out that only one burner was on and the burgers were still raw, but the hotdogs were already cooked.
Donald Trump Jr. weighed in as well, stating that Schumer was “playing to the masses” and suggesting he could offer assistance with grilling if needed. He also mocked the senator for trying too hard to relate to people by sharing photos of his barbecue experience. Michael Seifert, CEO and Founder of PublicSquare, stated that it was clear Schumer had never grilled a burger before in a separate post on Twitter.
This incident is not unique to Senator Schumer, as other politicians have faced similar backlash after sharing photos or videos of themselves grilling during holidays. In July 2021, former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) was roasted for a video showing raw burgers on the grill in honor of the Fourth of July, with commenters pointing out that the grill wasn’t even turned on. New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) also faced criticism after sharing a photo of herself grilling while wearing white and using store-bought hamburger patties, which some considered “out-of-touch” and “inauthentic.