Special Poll
President Donald Trump praised House and Senate Republicans for working together, calling them a “spectacular” and “unbeatable” team. In a post on Truth Social, he emphasized that, unlike Senator Lindsey Graham’s version of the legislation currently being debated, the House resolution fully embraces his “America First” agenda rather than just parts of it.
Trump urged both chambers of Congress to pass the House budget to initiate the reconciliation process and consolidate all Republican priorities into what he described as “ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL.” He insisted that this approach would “without question, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
His endorsement came shortly after he reassured voters that social safety net programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, would remain untouched. In a Fox News interview with Sean Hannity, Trump stated, “Medicare, Medicaid — none of that stuff is going to be touched. We won’t have to.”
However, the House GOP’s budget strategy proposes finding $880 billion in savings from the committee overseeing Medicaid to fund Trump’s tax cut extension and border security measures. Medicaid currently provides healthcare for approximately 72 million low-income Americans, including about 37 million children enrolled in either the Children’s Health Insurance Program or Medicaid as of last year.
Trump’s stance on entitlement programs has shifted over time. While he has promised not to cut them in recent statements, he previously suggested openness to reforms. In a March 2024 interview with CNBC, he said there was “a lot you can do” regarding entitlements, including reducing waste, fraud, and mismanagement.
With Republicans holding a narrow majority in the House, they can only afford to lose one vote to pass the budget resolution. At least two Republican lawmakers, Reps. David Valadao (Calif.) and Nicole Malliotakis (N.Y.), have expressed concerns about the proposal’s impact on Medicaid, saying they are withholding their support until they receive more details on potential cuts.