WASHINGTON — Two days after House Republicans narrowly approved the “big, beautiful” budget blueprint President Donald Trump has been asking for, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., derided it as a reckless scheme.

“The Republican budget will set in motion the largest cut to Medicaid in American history,” he said. “Children will be hurt. Families will be hurt. Seniors will be hurt. Everyday Americans with disabilities will be hurt. Hospitals will be hurt. And nursing homes will be hurt all across America.”

What You Need To Know

  • Two days after House Republicans narrowly approved the “big, beautiful” budget bill President Donald Trump was asking for, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., derided it as a reckless scheme

  • “The Republican budget will set in motion the largest cut to Medicaid in American history,” he said

  • The bill House Republicans approved Tuesday includes $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $2 trillion in spending cuts, $880 billion of which is expected to come from Medicaid

  • On Wednesday, during an interview on CNN, House Speaker Mike Johnson said Medicaid cuts would not affect individuals’ benefits but would instead come from “finding efficiencies”

The budget resolution House Republicans approved Tuesday includes $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $2 trillion in spending cuts, $880 billion of which is expected to come from Medicaid. The federal program provides health care to 70 million Americans.

Jeffries said Thursday that the Republican directive for the House Energy and Commerce Committee to find up to $880 billion, if not more, in spending cuts was directed at Medicaid, despite Republicans’ claims otherwise.

On Wednesday, during an interview on CNN, House Speaker Mike Johnson said Medicaid cuts would not affect individuals’ benefits but would instead come from “finding efficiencies.”

“Republicans are lying,” Jeffries said. “Prove me wrong. There’s nothing that we as House Democrats would like better than for the Republicans to prove us wrong — that they are not planning to cut Medicaid.”

During his weekly news conference, Jeffries said the U.S. DOGE Service, spearheaded by billionaire presidential adviser Elon Musk to root out waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government, is not about protecting taxpayer dollars.

“Elon Musk and the minions that have been released on the American people are actually stealing taxpayer data and stealing taxpayer money,” he said. “Why does Elon Musk need access to the names, addresses, Social Security numbers, birthdates and bank account information of the American people?”

Jeffries said the House will continue to work to block DOGE efforts and suggested any effort to cut federal spending should begin with the $8 million in federal contracts Musk receives every day for his aerospace company, SpaceX; satellite internet service, Starlink; and military satellite network, Starshield.