Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' 3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing Cruz blocks amended resolution honoring Ginsburg over language about her dying wish MORE (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday said he will back whatever decision House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiDemocratic senator to party: 'A little message discipline wouldn't kill us' Overnight Health Care: New wave of COVID-19 cases builds in US | Florida to lift all coronavirus restrictions on restaurants, bars | Trump stirs questions with 0 drug coupon plan Overnight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds MORE (D-Calif.) makes on impeachment, just as news broke that Pelosi will support the launch of impeachment proceedings against President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE.

A growing number of Schumer’s leadership team has called for Trump’s impeachment, but Schumer has been careful not to get ahead of Pelosi, with whom he consults frequently.

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“I speak regularly with Leader Pelosi. I spoke to her last night and again twice this morning. As I’ve said before, I believe she is handling this appropriately and she has my support,” Schumer told reporters.

Just as Schumer was making his comments, news broke that Pelosi plans to announce later Tuesday that she supports a formal impeachment inquiry against Trump.

"As soon as we have the facts, we’re ready," Pelosi said Tuesday at the Atlantic Festival. "Now we have the facts, we’re ready ... for later today."

Faced with polls showing that a majority of Americans do not support impeachment proceedings, Schumer and Pelosi have for months resisted pressure from liberals to move forward with articles of impeachment.

Asked if he is worried about a political backlash, Schumer said, “The bottom line is I think Speaker Pelosi is handling it correctly.”

More than 160 House Democrats say they support launching an impeachment inquiry.

And Schumer’s top deputies also support moving ahead with impeachment.

The latest to endorse a more aggressive approach against Trump was Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin Richard (Dick) Joseph DurbinThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump previews SCOTUS nominee as 'totally brilliant' Feinstein 'surprised and taken aback' by suggestion she's not up for Supreme Court fight Grand jury charges no officers in Breonna Taylor death MORE (D-Ill.).

Durbin said a recent whistleblower complaint to the intelligence community’s inspector general reportedly alleging that Trump made a promise to a foreign leader was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.

"I think the House has to initiate an impeachment inquiry as a means of securing the documents and witnesses necessary to understand the whole story and particularly the latest chapter involving Ukraine," Durbin told reporters earlier Tuesday.

Democrats suspect Trump withheld foreign aid to Ukraine in an effort to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate corruption allegations against Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden Joe BidenFormer Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick Bloomberg rolls out M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida MORE’s son.

"I believe we're headed for a confrontation with the Trump administration when it comes to the evidence that is needed to pursue this impeachment inquiry, and ultimately that will be resolved in the Supreme Court, as I see it. So I believe an official inquiry that sets the stage for that issue to be resolved needs to be started," Durbin added.