Trump and his MAGA Republican allies in Congress are trying to pay for more billionaire tax cuts by slashing Medicaid benefits in 41 states

As Trump and his extreme allies in Congress plot to rip health care away from some 22 million Americans in order to offset their billionaire tax cuts, Democrats will fight back every step of the way. A new DNC analysis shows a state-by-state breakdown of Americans across the country who will lose their benefits if Trump and his MAGA Republican allies are successful in gutting Medicaid in exchange for tax cuts for the rich in the upcoming reconciliation bill in Congress.  

As new reporting from the New York Times confirmed, Trump and his congressional allies have fully embraced the Project 2025 playbook they tried to distance themselves from on the campaign trail and are now hellbent on slashing the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion – “increasing the burden on states.”

As Republicans fall in line behind Trump’s disastrous Project 2025 plan, the DNC is raising the alarm that their proposed cuts to Medicaid would devastate some 22 million Americans in states that expanded Medicaid, including decimating rural communities across the country. 

DNC Executive Director Sam Cornale issued the following statement:

“Trump lied to the American people for months on the campaign trail, promising to lower their costs on Day One. It’s clear from Trump’s first week in office that he’s focused on the bottom line of his billionaire backers, not working families. In stark contrast, Democrats are on the side of the 22 million Americans who could see their costs skyrocket if Trump is successful in his plot to gut Medicaid benefits in order to foot the bill for more tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy and big corporations. Make no mistake, it’s not just Americans’ pocketbooks but also their health that’s on the line. Americans all over the country rely on Medicaid for health care coverage and these cuts would devastate families, including in many communities that carried Trump this election cycle. If Trump follows through on these threats, Democrats will make sure those voters know exactly who is responsible.”

A state-by-state breakdown of Americans who would face a devastating loss of health care coverage and skyrocketing costs can be found below:

Republicans in Congress have proposed undercutting the ACA’s Medicaid expansion, which 22 million Americans rely on for health care, in order to extend tax cuts for the wealthy.

New York Times: “Top Republicans are passing around an extensive menu of ideas to cover the cost of a massive tax cut and immigration crackdown bill. … One option floated by the committee would try to undercut the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion, which led to a ballooning in program enrollment. It would reduce the share of Medicaid costs the federal government pays for, increasing the burden on states.”

Trump and Republicans’ plan to slash Medicaid comes right out of the deeply unpopular Project 2025 playbook. Despite denying his association to Project 2025 on the campaign trail, Trump has wasted no time making the agenda reality as president. 

Axios: “Project 2025 parallels in Trump’s executive order avalanche”

Time: “Trump’s Early Actions Mirror Project 2025, the Blueprint He Once Dismissed”

Reuters: “Trump taps key Project 2025 architect Russ Vought to head budget office”

National Health Law Project: “Authoritarian Project 2025 Agenda Endangers the Future of Medicaid and The Affordable Care Act”

“Project 2025 also criticizes federal incentives for states to expand Medicaid coverage, proposing to replace enhanced federal matching funds with a ‘more rational match rate’ (466–467). Conservatives have historically pursued cuts to federal matching rates to reduce federal funding for Medicaid. Further, it recommends adding ‘flexibility to eliminate obsolete mandatory and optional benefit requirements’ (468). Together, these reforms would likely prompt states to backslide on covering people in optional eligibility categories, including Medicaid expansion”