The cracks in the Democratic Party’s foundation are growing wider by the day. President Trump’s clear victory in 2024 was just the start of the left’s troubles. Now, power struggles and belief battles are tearing apart what remains of the once-unified party.

Democrats who still claim to speak for “working Americans” are finding themselves at odds with their own leaders. The party that once prided itself on being a “big tent” seems to be making that tent smaller. They push out even their most loyal friends when they question the new direction.

Randi Weingarten, the powerful president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), has quit her position at the Democratic National Committee. In a shocking letter to DNC Chair Ken Martin obtained by Axios, Weingarten turned down her role as an at-large member. She had held this role since 2002. She cited growing differences with the party’s current leadership.

From ‘The Post Millennial’:

“I appear to be out of step with the leadership you are forging,” Weingarten wrote. “I do not want to be the one who keeps questioning why we are not enlarging our tent and actively trying to engage more and more of our communities.”

This high-profile exit comes just days after DNC Vice Chair David Hogg also stepped down. Hogg blasted the party for fighting against new voices. The back-to-back exits signal deep trouble within Democratic ranks.

Democratic Party Leadership Struggles

Weingarten’s exit wasn’t entirely her choice. She publicly backed Ben Wikler against Martin in a heated DNC leadership contest earlier this year. After this, she was quickly removed from the party’s powerful Rules and Bylaws Committee. The message was clear: loyalty to leaders matters more than decades of service.

As president of a union with 1.7 million teachers, Weingarten has been one of the strongest allies of the Democratic Party. Her choice to walk away speaks volumes about the current state of Democratic leadership.

The pattern of pushing out those who ask questions has become common for Democrats. They claim to champion diversity while showing little tolerance for different views within their own ranks. Even Senator John Fetterman has faced harsh criticism from fellow Democrats for his stance on immigration and support for Israel.

Teachers’ Union Prioritizes Politics Over Students

Critics have long argued that under Weingarten, the AFT focuses more on politics than on helping students learn. Corey DeAngelis, a school choice advocate, pointed out that Weingarten’s role in events like the recent “No Kings Rally” shows these wrong priorities.

“That teachers’ unions are more invested in political activism than in prioritizing education is nothing new,” DeAngelis told The New York Post. “Their actions expose them as little more than an arm of the Democratic Party, pushing a radical agenda that puts taxpayers on the hook for funding the K-12 education of illegal immigrants.”

Yet many parents wonder: Why is a teachers’ union leader spending so much time at political rallies instead of fixing America’s falling test scores? Reading and math scores have dropped to their lowest levels in decades. Shouldn’t that be the focus of education leaders?

Unaddressed Questions About School Closure Harms

Perhaps most telling was DeAngelis’ pointed question about Weingarten’s pandemic choices: “Where was this outrage from Randi Weingarten when her local affiliates fought to keep schools closed for years during the COVID era?”

The AFT and other teachers’ unions helped keep schools closed long after science showed children had small risk from COVID-19. The learning loss and mental health crisis among American students continues to hurt families nationwide. Yet Weingarten and her union have largely escaped blame for their role in these harmful policies.

For a party that claimed Trump would harm democratic institutions, Democrats seem to be breaking apart their own. As the 2026 midterms approach, these internal cracks suggest Republicans may grow their majority even more – especially if they continue to support education policies that put students ahead of union politics.

Key Takeaways

• Teachers’ union president Randi Weingarten quit the DNC after 20+ years, citing belief differences with current leadership
• Her resignation follows DNC Vice Chair David Hogg’s exit, showing deep cracks within Democratic Party ranks
• Critics point out teachers’ unions focus on political activism while student test scores continue falling
• Questions about Weingarten’s role in harmful school closures remain unanswered as she criticizes party leadership

Sources: The Post Millennial, Fox News