During a tense phone conversation on Saturday night, a senator from a politically divided state warned the president that the proposed cuts to Medicaid in the new legislation could cause the Republican Party to lose control of the House and bring lasting political damage.
He compared the possible fallout to how President Obama faced criticism for claiming the Affordable Care Act would allow people to keep their doctors.
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Despite the warning, Trump decided to move forward. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Senator Tillis said, “I hope he remembers the warnings and the advice that I gave him last night.” He added that if the current version of the bill becomes law, he would remind the president next year when the party loses its House majority.
Trump Prioritized a Win Over His Promise
Trump, while pushing for a major legislative victory and a renewal of the tax cuts he introduced nearly a decade ago, chose to step away from his campaign promise not to interfere with health care programs. That decision placed the Republican congressional majority at risk.
To meet his own deadline of passing the bill by Friday, Trump pushed GOP lawmakers to ignore concerns about cutting voter benefits and increasing the federal deficit by trillions. Lawmakers who raised objections about the policy details were brushed aside.
He also avoided admitting that the bill would reduce Medicaid coverage. During a meeting on Wednesday with House moderates and practical conservatives, Trump told them Republicans should avoid cutting entitlements if they want to win elections. But a legislator present said the bill clearly included Medicaid cuts.
When asked about Trump’s role, the White House declined to respond to detailed questions. Instead, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt praised Trump’s efforts, saying he had delivered multiple victories for the country despite skepticism and worry.
Early Promises Against Cuts
After taking office, Trump urged Congress to renew his tax cuts but insisted that Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid should remain untouched as funding sources. “We’re not going to touch it,” he told reporters in February when asked about Medicaid, adding that fraud would be the only target of review.
House Republican leaders formed a plan to add work requirements to Medicaid. They claimed this approach would reduce federal spending while still protecting those in real need of the benefit.
They also made adjustments to the taxes most states apply to health care providers. This tactic is usually used to increase the amount of Medicaid funding states can receive from the federal government.
