Health

Johnson Torches Medicaid Myths in Clash With CNN’s Tapper

Published

May 25, 2025

House Speaker Mike Johnson went head-to-head with CNN’s Jake Tapper on State of the Union this weekend—and left no doubt about who truly understands the purpose and priorities behind President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda.

Tapper opened with a familiar media refrain: that Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” would cause millions of Americans to lose Medicaid coverage. Citing the Congressional Budget Office’s projection that nearly 8 million could be affected, Tapper attempted to corner Johnson into admitting a contradiction between Trump’s promises and the bill’s impact.

But Johnson wasn’t having it.

Before diving into the numbers, Johnson anchored his argument by reinforcing President Trump’s explicit promise:

“We’re not changing Medicaid and we’re not changing Medicare and we are not changing Social Security,” Trump said when visiting capitol before the vote.

Johnson echoed that statement without hesitation.

“We are not cutting Medicaid in this package,” Johnson said unequivocally. “There’s a lot of misinformation out there.”

Rather than backpedal or deflect, Johnson calmly dismantled the assumptions behind Tapper’s question. He made clear that the only people impacted by the Medicaid changes are those who are abusing the system—or were never entitled to benefits in the first place.

Among the key points Johnson drove home:

1.4 million illegal aliens are currently on Medicaid—despite the program being designed only for U.S. citizens, particularly the most vulnerable: pregnant women, single mothers, the elderly, and disabled Americans.
4.8 million able-bodied adults without dependents are on Medicaid but refuse to work—a category Johnson pointed to as an obvious source of systemic abuse.
The reforms simply restore Medicaid to its original intent: a safety net for the truly needy—not a free ride for those gaming the system.

“When you root out those kinds of abuses,” Johnson said, “you save the resources that are so desperately needed by the people who deserve it most.”

He also pushed back hard on Tapper’s attempt to personalize the data using Louisiana’s Medicaid population, saying plainly that “every district in America” has recipients who are drawing benefits they shouldn’t be getting.

And Johnson didn’t shy away from moral clarity.

“We are the party that supports human dignity,” he said. “If you’re going to be on the public wagon, you have to do something to help pull it—if you are able.”

He highlighted how flexible the work requirements really are: 20 hours a week of employment, volunteering, or job training—hardly a “punishment” but rather a path toward self-sufficiency.

Johnson also exposed the Democrats’ real objection: they’d rather protect systemic fraud than support targeted reforms that preserve safety nets for those who actually need them.

“Democrats are trying to twist the facts,” he said. “They’re going to vote against this because they can’t defend voting for more fraud, waste, and abuse.”

In the face of media misdirection, Johnson’s performance was a masterclass in clarity, common sense, and defending conservative values. His message was unmistakable: Trump’s bill doesn’t hurt the poor—it protects them.

Did Trump Cut Medicaid and Food Stamps?

No. As Speaker Mike Johnson made clear, “We are not cutting Medicaid in this package.” He explained that the reforms target fraud, waste, and abuse—not the truly needy.

“You’re talking about 4.8 million able-bodied workers, young men who are on Medicaid and not working. That is called fraud. They’re cheating the system.”

He continued:

“We are the party that supports human dignity… If you’re going to be on the public wagon, you have to do something to help pull it—if you are able.”

The purpose of the bill, Johnson emphasized, is simple:
“To preserve these very necessary, very important safety net programs for the people who actually need and deserve them—and not those who are gaming the system.”