Medicare Scandal Rocks Trump Bill

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) warned Tuesday that President Trump’s legislative proposal, often referred to as the “big, beautiful bill,” would significantly increase the national debt and likely result in major cuts to Medicare spending beginning in 2026.

According to the CBO’s analysis, the bill would raise the federal deficit by $2.3 trillion over the next decade. That level of added debt would automatically trigger existing budget rules that mandate across-the-board cuts to certain mandatory programs, including Medicare. The reductions could reach up to $500 billion, with an initial $45 billion cut expected in fiscal year 2026 alone.

The CBO’s report came in response to a request from Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee. Under current law, if legislation increases the deficit without offsets, it must be followed by automatic spending cuts a process known as sequestration.

The projected Medicare reductions would be capped at 4 percent annually and would span the years 2027 through 2034, totaling approximately $490 billion during that time.

While these cuts are not inevitable Congress has the authority to override sequestration or pass future legislation to address the fiscal gap the CBO’s findings highlight a significant contradiction between the administration’s promises and its policy impact.

President Trump repeatedly vowed during both of his campaigns not to cut Medicare. He also assured voters that his major policy proposals would leave the program untouched. The new projections from the CBO, however, indicate that unless Congress takes action, the bill’s fiscal consequences could put those promises at risk.