Former President Donald Trump has escalated his attacks on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, drawing sharp criticism and raising eyebrows across Washington.

The tension between Trump and Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the US, has been simmering for weeks. Trump has repeatedly referred to Schumer as a “Palestinian,” a term he first used in early June. However, Trump took his rhetoric to a new level on Wednesday by accusing Schumer of being a “proud member of Hamas” for not shaking Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hand after his historic speech to Congress.

Schumer finally fired back by issuing a brief statement saying, “The lower he drops in polls, the more unhinged he becomes.”

Despite years of unwavering support for Israel, Schumer’s tone has become very critical in recent months. In a headline-grabbing March speech, he took Netanyahu to task by suggesting the Prime Minister has “lost his way.” Schumer also called on Israel to hold new elections, presenting it as the “only way” to advance its goals.

His comments drew severe backlash at the time, with GOP leaders mocking him for attacking America’s closest ally and attempting to interfere with a sovereign nation’s democratic process.

With three months left until November’s presidential election, the political implications of Trump’s statements are significant. Democrats view Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric as a sign of political desperation.

“The more she pulls ahead, the more you’re going to see Trump revert to the only thing he knows how to do when he’s trying to get attention, which is to get more and more outrageous,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told MSNBC.

A recent poll by Bloomberg0 indicates that expected Democratic nominee Kamala Harris has erased Trump’s advantage in seven key swing states. With Harris garnering 48% support compared to Trump’s 47% in pivotal swing states, it’s pretty much a coin flip now for the race to the White House.