‘I take exception to the idea that the bill cuts Medicaid’: Treasury Secretary angrily defends bill that cuts Medicaid

Donald Trump has spent much of the year insisting he won’t make any cuts to Medicaid. On Feb. 18 in an interview he said “none of that stuff is going to be touched”, on Feb. 26 he told a Cabinet meeting “we’re not going to touch it”, and on May 4 he told journalists he’d veto any bill that includes Medicaid cuts, saying “they’re not cutting it”, underlining: “We’re not cutting Medicaid, we’re not cutting Medicare.”

Well, I hope you’re ready to be shocked beyond comprehension, because the famously truthful and straightforward Donald Trump is… *drum roll* cutting Medicaid. Wow, who could possibly have seen this coming?

Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” will slash Medicaid, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating that 7.8 million people will lose access if it passes. MAGA politicians have been lining up try and explain this away, with Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin admitting yesterday that yes, Medicaid will be cut, but that’s okay, because only “lazy” people will have their healthcare snatched away from them. Oh, well, that’s alright then.

US Treasury Secretary Bessent: I take exception to the idea that the bill cuts Medicaid.

— FinancialJuice (@financialjuice) June 30, 2025

Trump’s Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared on Bloomberg Open Interest this morning and joined the chorus, saying he “takes exception” to the idea that the bill that cuts Medicaid cuts Medicaid. He claimed “we are bending the curve further out” and that these aren’t “cuts” as the people they’re cutting Medicaid for can simply go back to work. Yeah, well, you can “take exception” to the sky being blue, but it won’t change color.

The pain is coming

Even some Republicans are fiercely criticizing this aspect of Trump’s bill. Mere hours after confirming his retirement, Republican Senator Thom Tillis underlined that this is going to wreck lives… Republican lives:

““It is inescapable this bill will betray the promise Donald Trump made. I’m telling the president that you have been misinformed. You supporting the Senate mark will hurt people who are eligible and qualified for Medicaid.”

He went on to tell reporters he couldn’t in good conscience support something that would directly harm his North Carolina constituents: “I respect President Trump, I support the majority of his agenda, but I don’t bow to anybody when the people of North Carolina are at risk, and this puts them at risk.”

United States healthcare is already a dystopian nightmare with no regard for the dignity of human life and a laser focus on pouring your hard-earned wages into some billionaire’s bank account. Trump and his goons are determined to make this already horrible situation worse. And just remember, even if you’re healthy right now, it only takes one accident or finding a mysterious lump before you’re staring down at a letter explaining that, unfortunately, you’re just going to have to die. Soz.