Trump's State of the Union Was a Smokescreen for Gutting Medicaid | Opinion

Donald Trump took the stage at his joint congressional address last week, hoping to distract Americans from the reality of his faltering economic agenda. He manufactured outrage with false numbers, pledged the impossible with empty rhetoric, and launched broadside attacks at those who might stand in his way. Complicit Republicans cheered on his suspect pronouncements, hoping as he did that Americans would not notice his sleight of hand—the devastating cuts to Medicaid and Social Security buried in their budgets, designed to finance tax breaks for billionaires at the expense of the elderly and the working class.

While Trump avoided the word "Medicaid" altogether, Democrats in the chamber made sure the American people didn't forget. Representatives waved signs reading "SAVE MEDICAID" as Trump tried to sidestep the issue. When Representative Al Green (D-Texas) volubly rejected the idea that Trump had a mandate to cut Medicaid, the civil rights activist was removed from the chamber. The scene underscored what we already know—Trump and his allies want to gut Medicaid, but they don't want to admit it.

Instead of talking about the real impact of his policies, Trump lashed out, including an attack on me. We've seen this before—Trump is obsessed with revenge, using the power of his platform to smear and silence those who challenge him. But while he rants about his enemies, we must keep the focus where it belongs—on his plans to gut our government, strip us of our rights, and finance his friends on the backs of everyday Americans.

Make no mistake—the cuts are real, and the consequences will be catastrophic. House Republicans have already laid the groundwork, advancing a budget resolution that would slash at least $2 trillion in spending. While they cleverly avoided using the words, instead referring certain mandatory cuts to various committees, the intention is unmistakable. The Congressional Budget Office made it clear—achieving their budget projections will require cutting Medicaid.

Medicaid is more than a safety net. It is the source of health care for millions of the nation's children, and 60 percent of nursing home patients rely on Medicaid. That's right, Medicaid—not Medicare. Across the country, families rely on Medicaid to afford doctor visits, medication, and life-saving treatments. Hospitals rely on Medicaid to serve patients of all economic means, and it is a vital program for the disabled. This means that the likely cuts to the program will affect people in every state, of every partisan label, in devastating fashion—all to guarantee even more wealth to the unimaginably rich.

We've seen this playbook before. During Trump's first term, his tax cuts for the ultra-rich exploded the deficit, and at the first sign of economic trouble, the economy stumbled. Now he's back for more—this time with a $4.5 trillion welfare plan that will not reach average Americans in any meaningful way. However, the money has to come from somewhere, and instead of making billionaires and corporations pay their fair share, Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson are demanding massive cuts to health care, food assistance, and housing support. That includes over $880 billion in cuts overseen by the very committee that controls Medicaid funding.

Republicans know this is wildly unpopular, which is why Trump avoided the topic entirely at the joint congressional address. It's also why House Republicans in vulnerable districts are scrambling, trying to reassure their constituents that Medicaid will be safe—before ultimately siding with GOP leadership to advance the budget resolution. But the public sees through the game. Medicaid is one of the most popular programs in America, and Democrats must continue to make sure voters understand exactly what's at stake.

On my podcast, Assembly Required, we've spoken with leaders and experts about the real impact of these cuts. This isn't about politics—it's about whether families can afford to see a doctor, whether seniors can get the care they need, and whether parents can provide for their children. Instead of robbing regular Americans of Medicaid to fund tax breaks that will never trickle down, we should demand expanded health care access, lower costs on drugs and services, and a strengthened safety net that helps keep families safe.

This fight isn't just about policy—it's about our values. Time and again, Republicans have proven willing to take from working families to benefit the wealthy. Yet they are quick to acquiesce to an administration eager to abuse its power. But we have the power to stop them.

Now is the time to act. Call your representatives and demand they reject any budget that cuts Medicaid. But don't stop there. Go to your school board, your city council, your county commission, and your state legislature. Because those are the elected officials who will be asking you to pay the bill when the federal government reneges on its promises. So organize in your communities, make sure your neighbors know what's at stake, and hold Republicans accountable in your towns and at the ballot box. If we stand together, we can protect Medicaid, expand health care access, and build an economy that works for everyone—not just those at the very top.

The fight is here. Let's get to work.

Stacey Abrams is an entrepreneur, voting rights activist, and author.

The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.