Schumer Warns Trump Budget Bill Medicaid Cuts Could Threaten GOP Senators: 'We Are All Going to Die Act'

Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader from New York, sharply rebuked President Donald Trump’s signature budget proposal in a fiery speech on Wednesday, mocking Trump’s description of the legislation as a “big, beautiful bill” and instead dubbing it the “We’re All Going to Die Act.” Schumer’s retort came amid heated debate over deep cuts to Medicaid and other social safety net programs included in the package.

Addressing his Republican colleagues, Schumer warned that backing the Trump administration’s budget could have severe political consequences. “Republican senators who support Trump’s budget bill are ‘tenured at best, suicidal at worst,’” he declared, suggesting such votes would be detrimental at the ballot box this November. “For many Americans, health care coverage is the difference between life and death,” Schumer emphasized, underscoring the stakes as millions risk losing insurance if the proposed cuts are enacted.

Schumer’s newly coined name for the Republican bill references a recent comment by Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa. When confronted at a town hall about whether reductions to Medicaid and the SNAP food assistance program would result in people dying, Ernst responded, “Well, we’re all going to die.” Schumer seized on the remark, arguing that such dismissals epitomize what he called the “callousness” of the bill’s supporters. “Tell that, the American people have heard,” Schumer said, vowing that Democrats would “fight” and “double down” to expose what’s at stake.

He continued his criticism, questioning the motivations behind the legislation. “Why are they being so mean? Why are they being so cruel?” Schumer asked. “All to give tax breaks to billionaires. They are in total obeisance… to a very small group of very wealthy, greedy people who say, ‘I don’t care what you do to everyone else, cut my taxes.’” According to Schumer, the proposed budget would not only strip away vital services but also overwhelmingly benefit America’s richest.

Schumer cited preliminary estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, warning that the number of Americans losing health insurance could rise to as many as 16 million under the current bill. Additionally, Schumer highlighted threats to Medicare, stating, “New calculations show Medicare is under the knife.” These forecasts come as some Republican senators voice concern over the bill’s impact on the national debt and budget deficit, even as Senate leadership pushes for a vote before the July 4th recess.

Despite public resistance and opposition within Republican ranks, the White House insists the bill will spur massive economic growth. However, Schumer argued the administration was “just lying about the bill,” accusing Republicans of using rhetoric about fighting waste and fraud—such as proposals to make Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cuts permanent—as cover for deeply unpopular policy changes.

“Let me tell our Republican Senate colleagues what will be enacted is not Donald Trump’s soothing words, but the actual reality of harsh cuts where people lose health care, where people’s premiums go up, where hospitals close, nursing homes close, and people are laid off,” Schumer warned. As negotiations continue, Democrats pledge to mobilize public sentiment against the measure, characterizing it as a threat to millions of Americans’ access to basic health and nutrition—a fight, they say, that will reach well beyond the halls of Congress.