CNN Fact Checker Exposes Trump’s Claims On Bill That Are ‘Wildly, Categorically Inaccurate
CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale has called out several major claims made by former President Donald Trump about a new tax and spending bill, saying they are simply not true. Dale explained that no matter how anyone feels about the bill politically, some of Trump’s statements about what it does are flat-out false.
In a segment on *The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer*, Dale said it’s a clear, objective fact that the bill makes big changes to Medicaid, even though Trump has insisted otherwise. In a recent White House appearance, Trump claimed the bill cuts \$1.7 trillion in government spending without affecting key programs like Medicaid, Medicare, or Social Security. He told the public, “Your Medicaid is left alone… Medicare and Social Security are strengthened… we’re not cutting.”
But Dale pushed back hard on this. He said that regardless of whether someone supports or opposes the bill, the facts remain: it absolutely does make changes to Medicaid. One of the most notable changes would require many Medicaid recipients—those without young kids and who are considered physically able—to prove they are working, in school, in job training, or volunteering at least 80 hours a month to keep their benefits.
The bill would also make people pay more out of pocket for certain services, and it changes how provider taxes work—something that could put serious financial strain on rural hospitals. Some of these hospitals warn that these changes could force them to either close or lay off staff. Dale emphasized the scale of the cuts, citing a report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), which estimates a nearly \$930 billion reduction in Medicaid funding over the next decade. According to experts, that would be the largest cut to Medicaid in U.S. history.
Dale also addressed another claim Trump made, saying that if the bill doesn’t pass, taxes will rise by 68%. Dale called that number pure fiction and noted that when he asked the White House to back it up—even anonymously—officials gave no defense at all. In fact, no independent or credible source has supported that 68% figure.
Trump also claimed that the bill would eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits, but Dale clarified that this is misleading. The versions of the bill in the House and Senate do offer some tax deductions for seniors—\$4,000 in one version, \$6,000 in another—but they do not completely remove taxes on Social Security income. So, while the bill may offer some tax relief for older Americans, it doesn’t go as far as Trump claimed.
Dale summarized that some of the president’s recent claims have been “wildly, categorically inaccurate.” Whether or not someone supports the bill, he said it’s important to be honest about what it actually does—and what it doesn’t. While the bill is still being debated in the Senate, the facts show major changes to Medicaid, potential impacts on rural healthcare, and significant budget cuts, regardless of how the president tries to frame it.
