When Donald Trump ran for a second presidential term, he promised he wouldn't make any Medicare cuts. He reiterated his commitment after returning to the Oval Office, recently telling Fox News host Sean Hannity that Medicare is not "going to be touched."
However, recent actions taken by the Trump administration have raised concerns for some. Will President Trump renege on his pledge not to cut Medicare? Here are four things to know.
Image source: Official White House photo by D. Myles Cullen.
1. DOGE could have Medicare in its sights
Elon Musk and the temporary government organization he's working with, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), could now have Medicare in its sights. ABC News reported on Feb. 14, 2025, that internal government records reveal that Rachel Riley, who has worked closely with Brad Smith, one of DOGE's initial leaders, met with several top officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
The details of this meeting weren't disclosed. However, ABC's sources said DOGE members had already been on-site attending meetings at the CMS offices and requested access to the agency's payment systems.
DOGE's focus, though, appears to be on curtailing Medicare fraud. On Feb. 6, 2025, Musk posted on X, the social media platform he owns, formerly known as Twitter:
At this point, I am 100% certain that the magnitude of the fraud in federal entitlements (Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Welfare, Disability, etc) exceeds the combined sum of every private scam you've ever heard by FAR.
-- Elon Musk (@elonmusk) Feb. 11, 2025
It's not even close.
A Fox News interview with President Trump and Musk on Feb. 18 seemed to confirm the purpose of DOGE's interest in Medicare. Although the president said Medicare wouldn't be touched, he clarified that any fraud in the program would be targeted. However, some Democrats remain concerned that DOGE's tactics could interfere with Americans' access to healthcare services.
2. The White House's mixed signals raised questions about Medicare cuts
Those concerns were further elevated by recent mixed signals from the White House. On Feb. 19, White House spokesperson Kush Desai released a statement to the online political website Politico that said, "The Trump administration is committed to protecting Medicare and Medicaid while slashing the waste, fraud, and abuse within those programs -- reforms that will increase efficiency and improve care for beneficiaries."
Politico subsequently published an article that included this statement. Afterward, though, Desai sent the political website an updated statement that no longer mentioned Medicare. This immediately raised questions about whether the Trump administration is now open to Medicare cuts.
3. The GOP budget proposes major cuts with an unclear impact on Medicare
On Feb. 25, the House of Representatives narrowly passed a Republican budget resolution by 217 to 215. Every Democratic member of the House voted against the resolution along with one Republican -- Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky.
This budget resolution includes $2 trillion of overall federal budget cuts over the next 10 years. However, the specifics of those cuts weren't detailed. Instead, several House committees will be tasked with identifying programs to cut. The House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees spending for Medicare and Medicaid, would need to identify $880 billion in cost savings.
President Trump praised the resolution, referring to it in a post on Truth Social as "one big beautiful bill." But House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said, "The House Republican budget resolution will set in motion the largest Medicaid cut in American history."
Jeffries' comment highlighted that concerns about Medicaid cuts are greater than worries about potential Medicare cuts. Still, the president promised less than two weeks ago that there would be no cuts for either program. A reversal in his stance on Medicaid could exacerbate fears that he could also change his tune on Medicare.
4. The prospects of Medicare cuts are slim
Should Medicare recipients be worried about Medicare benefit cuts? Probably not.
Republicans have a very small majority in the House. It would be difficult for any bill that includes Medicare benefit cuts to pass. For President Trump to sign a bill that cut Medicare would mean he blatantly reneged on a campaign promise for which he confirmed support after returning to the White House.
The GOP also knows that Medicare benefit cuts would likely spell disaster for the party in the 2026 congressional elections. With all this in mind, the prospects of any Medicare benefit cuts appear slim.
