--- title: Chuck Schumer Predicted the Teens Eating Tide Pods Trend description: It appears that Sen. Chuck Schumer may have predicted the Tide Pod Challenge that is currently sweeping the Internet way back in 2012. canonical: https://time.com/5110606/chuck-schumer-tide-pod-challenge/ author: Megan McCluskey article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-01-19T22:11:12.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-12T08:46:55.387Z og:title: Chuck Schumer Predicted the Tide Pod Phenomenon Back in 2012 og:description: "I saw one on my staffer's desk and I wanted to eat it" og:url: https://time.com/5110606/chuck-schumer-tide-pod-challenge/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8fcfbeeab7b3994a/6988f8e1929fad6400bef4b8/chuck-schumer-tide-pods.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 594 og:image:height: 334 og:image:alt: Chuck-Schumer-Predicted-Tide-Pods og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Chuck Schumer Predicted the Tide Pod Phenomenon Back in 2012 twitter:description: "I saw one on my staffer's desk and I wanted to eat it" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8fcfbeeab7b3994a/6988f8e1929fad6400bef4b8/chuck-schumer-tide-pods.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Chuck Schumer Totally Predicted the Tide Pod Phenomenon Way Back in 2012 > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=cbf2340e-7f00-4bfd-941d-d6cb9a42a867&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Experts Warn Against 'Tide Pod Challenge' [Watch (HLS stream): Experts Warn Against 'Tide Pod Challenge'](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/smQ5qkq8.m3u8) (0:59)  _Published 2018-01-17. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning teens against trying the "Tide Pod Challenge." The social media phenomenal inspires people to taste the laundry detergent._  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Jan 19, 2018 10:11 PM UTC The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning teens against trying the "Tide Pod Challenge." The social media phenomenal inspires people to taste the laundry detergent.  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Jan 19, 2018 10:11 PM UTC It appears that [Sen. Chuck Schumer](http://time.com/5110182/donald-trump-chuck-schumer-white-house-government-shutdown/) may have predicted the so-called [Tide Pod Challenge](http://time.com/5104225/tide-pod-challenge/) that is currently sweeping the Internet way back in 2012. According to a report from the [_New York Daily News_](http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/schumer-newfangled-detergent-pods-candy-article-1.1155442), the Senate Democratic leader held a September 2012 press conference to warn of the risks associated with the colorful appearance of the detergent capsules. “The incidents are skyrocketing,” he said. “These pods were supposed to make household chores easier, not tempt our children to swallow harmful chemicals. I saw one on my staffer’s desk and I wanted to eat it.” But while Schumer was worried about young children, it’s teenagers who are currently the focus of Tide Pod concern. The challenge may have begun as a joke on social media, but it has [reportedly](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tide-pod-challenge-ingesting-detergent-risks/) inspired some teens to actually eat the potentially deadly packets. In fact, there were 39 reports of teens intentionally misusing laundry pods in the first 15 days of 2018 alone, according to data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC). ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5110606/chuck-schumer-tide-pod-challenge/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5110606/chuck-schumer-tide-pod-challenge/"},"headline":"Chuck Schumer Totally Predicted the Tide Pod Phenomenon Way Back in 2012","datePublished":"2018-01-19T22:11:12.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-12T08:46:55.387Z","description":"\"I saw one on my staffer's desk and I wanted to eat it\"","url":"https://time.com/5110606/chuck-schumer-tide-pod-challenge/","keywords":["Newsfeed","viral","Bizarre","chuck schumer","Weird News"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8fcfbeeab7b3994a/6988f8e1929fad6400bef4b8/chuck-schumer-tide-pods.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Megan McCluskey","jobTitle":"Staff Writer","url":"https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8fcfbeeab7b3994a/6988f8e1929fad6400bef4b8/chuck-schumer-tide-pods.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Chuck-Schumer-Predicted-Tide-Pods","caption":"Sen. 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