Robert Reich Slams $880 Billion Medicaid Cuts: 'Trump's Tyranny Is Undeniable'

Former U.S. Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich recently expressed his concerns over the governance style and policy decisions of the Trump administration, highlighting a stark contrast between the current state of affairs and his own experiences in the cabinet room.

What Happened: On Thursday, Reich uploaded his latest interview with MSNBC on his official YouTube channel wherein he voiced his concerns about the Trump administration. He criticized Trump’s first cabinet meeting and called it a “theatrical performance for the press”. Reich also called out the lack of real work being done.

Reich also pointed out the contradiction between President Trump’s promise not to touch Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid and the recent budget resolution that instructs the Energy and Commerce Committee to slash Medicaid by an unprecedented $880 billion. He accused the Trump administration of lying to the public and fostering a culture of loyalty to Trump over loyalty to the U.S. The former Secretary of Labour called this a rise of dictatorship and strongly stated, “Trump’s tyranny is undeniable.”

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Why It Matters: Reich’s criticisms come in the wake of two significant policy decisions by the Trump administration. Reich had previously criticized the Trump administration’s tax reduction plans for the corporates, terming them as an “absolutely shameless giveaway,” that could increase the deficit by $4.6 trillion.

Meanwhile, despite Trump’s promise not to cut Social Security or Medicare, the Trump administration could include a Medicaid reduction of $880 billion as part of the larger $2 trillion expenditure cut plan.

Reich’s comments underscore the growing concerns about the Trump administration’s governance style and policy decisions, and their potential impact on the American public. Even before Trump resumed his second term, Reich had warned of the likely influence of billionaires such as Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Peter Thiel in the White House. In one of his posts on X, Reich even questioned the rising net worth of Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, when 87% of jobs at Amazon pay less than $20 an hour.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.