Donald Trump Threatens To Veto Any GOP Bill That Touches Medicaid Or Social Security, 'If It Cuts It, I Would Not Approve'

President Donald Trump drew a bright red line for Capitol Hill, stating he will "veto" any bill that trims Social Security or federal health programs.

What Happened: In an interview with TIME Magazine, Trump said, "If it cuts it, I would not approve," he said, adding the only changes he'll entertain are efforts to root out "waste, fraud and abuse" in Medicaid.

The warning lands just as Republicans reconvene to assemble a sweeping tax-and-spending package aimed at renewing Trump's signature 2017 tax cuts while still shaving dollars from the deficit. Under the budget blueprint passed this month, lawmakers must identify a modest $4 billion in savings to move the bill through reconciliation, but hard-line House conservatives want as much as $2 trillion sliced over the next decade.

Hitting that upper figure would all but require targeting Medicaid, food stamps, and other safety-net programs that serve tens of millions. According to a CBS report, a bloc of moderate Republicans has already extracted a promise from House Speaker Mike Johnson that benefits for eligible Medicaid recipients and care providers would remain intact, and several GOP senators have voiced similar redlines.

See also: Trump’s Proposed Millionaires Tax Draws Fierce GOP Pushback: ‘Doing So Would Be Political Death,’ Experts Caution

Still, Johnson hopes to pass the package by the end of May, while Senate leaders talk of wrapping up before lawmakers leave for the August recess. The outline envisions up to $5.3 trillion in tax relief over ten years and lifts the debt ceiling by $5 trillion, without touching Social Security or Medicare if Trump gets his way.

Why It Matters: It is worth noting that slashing Medicaid wouldn't eliminate the costs. It would merely shift them. Without the program, many low-income families would face unaffordable premiums and deductibles in the private market, forcing taxpayers to absorb higher emergency-care expenses and other indirect subsidies. The GOP's effort to balance austerity with electoral risk leaves Medicaid's fate hanging and sets up a pivotal debate for the 2026 midterms.

Fears over safety-net cuts are already reshaping retirement choices. Worried that benefits may shrink, more Americans are filing for Social Security earlier despite locking in smaller monthly checks, driving new claims to 580,887 in March from 500,527 a year ago. Administrative turmoil and talk of broader welfare reductions are accelerating that stampede.

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