Trump's Budget Plan Targets $880 Billion Medicaid Cuts

The proposed Republican budget, referred to as 'President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill,' aims to cut federal spending by up to $1.5 trillion over the next decade, with significant implications for Medicaid, which provides health coverage to over 70 million Americans. The budget plan instructs the House Energy and Commerce Committee to find $880 billion in spending cuts, with estimates indicating that around $581 billion would need to come from Medicaid, potentially threatening care for vulnerable populations. Polling shows a majority of Trump voters and swing voters oppose cuts to Medicaid, complicating the GOP's efforts to reconcile internal divisions between conservatives advocating for steep cuts and centrists concerned about their constituents' health benefits. While some Republican leaders assert that waste reduction could achieve these savings without harming Medicaid, critics argue that such cuts would inevitably affect services and beneficiaries. The Democratic response is focused on mobilizing opposition to the proposed cuts, framing them as the largest reduction in Medicaid history. As the budget reconciliation process progresses, the debate over Medicaid remains a pivotal issue for both parties leading into future elections.