The president has said his administration “won’t touch” entitlement programs. Past efforts to do so have backfired on Trump and other politicians.

Democrats are rerunning the playbook that won them control of Congress in 2018, focusing on the cost of the G.O.P.’s tax cut plan for ordinary Americans, particularly when it comes to health care.

The possibility of Medicaid cuts has become a headache for the most vulnerable Republicans in Congress — and has handed Democrats a potent issue ahead of 2026 elections.

Rep. Jeff Van Drew said the President “understood” his concerns, which are also shared by a number of other Republicans.

In theory, the budget, which kicks off the process of passing an extension of tax cuts enacted in 2017 and up to $2 trillion in spending cuts meant to partly offset them, could become law without significant cuts to Medicaid. But it won’t be easy.

It might be hard to get super interested in the back and forth of the budget bills bouncing around Capitol Hill, but they could have huge consequences for Americans’ everyday lives.

House Republicans passed a budget plan that seeks to extend tax cuts enacted in 2018 and reduce Medicaid spending. The proposal could save $1.9 trillion over ten years.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has ruled out some of the deepest cuts to Medicaid as concerns bubble up across the GOP, from the president to state leaders.