Trump Endorses GOP Budget That Slashes Medicaid and Benefits the Wealthy

Trump is backing a House Republican budget proposal that includes deep cuts to Medicaid, food assistance, and student aid, all while delivering major tax breaks to wealthy individuals and corporations. His endorsement comes just hours after he pledged that Medicaid would remain untouched.

The budget, introduced by House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington, has drawn criticism for prioritizing the wealthiest Americans over working families. Experts warn that the plan could leave millions without health coverage, increase the cost of education, and push more people into financial hardship.

The proposed budget could lead to 36 million people losing Medicaid coverage as Republicans push for $880 billion in cuts over the next decade. This could force state and local governments to pick up the financial burden, or leave millions without access to life-saving care.

More than 40 million Americans who rely on SNAP (food stamps) could see reduced benefits, with many losing access altogether.

The budget directs $330 billion in cuts to higher education programs, making federal student loans more expensive. Around 5 million undergraduate students who depend on federal aid could face higher borrowing costs, and Pell Grants may be slashed, putting college further out of reach for low-income families.

Despite these deep spending cuts, the budget allows for $4.5 trillion in tax breaks, with $1.1 trillion going directly to the top 1% of earners. High-income households making $743,000 or more per year could see an average annual tax cut of $62,000, while working families struggle with rising costs for food, healthcare, and education.

With major reductions in federal funding, states and cities may have to raise taxes or slash essential services like education, healthcare, and infrastructure. Wealthier states may be able to compensate for lost funding, but poorer states could see drastic declines in public services.

While House Republicans claim the budget reduces the deficit, independent estimates suggest it could add $1.6 trillion to the national debt over the next decade, mostly due to expensive tax cuts. At the same time, millions of Americans face higher living costs, less access to healthcare, and fewer opportunities to afford college.