Senator Adam Schiff isn’t playing by the old Senate rules—and he’s not shy about it.
Since winning his seat in 2024, Schiff has brought the same fire to the Senate that made him a household name during Donald Trump’s first impeachment. And now, he’s calling out his fellow Democrats for being too soft on Trump and sticking to traditions that no longer work.
“I did arrive very intent on being seen and not heard,” Schiff told Politico. “And I think frankly, if it had been a Harris presidency, I would have continued to be seen and not heard. But given that every day is a new crisis, none of us can afford to be seen and not heard.”
Schiff isn’t just talking. He’s taking the fight directly to Trump’s allies—most notably during the confirmation hearing of FBI Director Kash Patel, a controversial pick. Schiff grilled him hard, asking if he was “proud” of raising money off a song recorded by Capitol rioters. He even told Patel to turn around and face the Capitol Police officers in the room who defended the building during the January 6 attack.
The message was clear: Democrats can’t afford to play nice anymore.
Some in the Senate aren’t thrilled with his approach. Longtime Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) told Politico her advice to newcomers is simple: “Dump the House stuff.” She warned the Senate is supposed to be different—a place of quiet deals and bipartisanship.
But Schiff disagrees. He says those days are over.
He’s blasted the tradition that new senators should stay quiet for months as “completely outdated.” He also said he and other freshman senators won’t be “wallflowers” while Trump and his allies push their agenda.
And he’s not just making speeches. Schiff launched his own Substack, posting straight-to-camera videos to explain what’s really going on in Washington. It’s a move that mirrors the influencer-style politics of the House—a style Senate veterans have long looked down on.
Still, not everyone is pushing back. Retiring Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) called Schiff’s approach a welcome change. “He’s in a unique position bridging the experience you had in the House of Representatives with this administration and now your responsibility here in the United States Senate,” Durbin said.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also cheered Schiff on, saying his energy is exactly what Democrats need. “We should have been tougher” on Trump’s appointees, she admitted.
Schiff’s blunt, no-time-to-waste attitude has rattled Senate traditions—but for many Democrats frustrated with weak leadership and rising threats to democracy, that might be exactly what’s needed.
