Trump Sparks Outrage by Claiming Federal Government Can't Fund Daycare, Medicare, or Medicaid, Saying War Comes First [View all]

Source: IBT

Published 02 April 2026, 9:22 AM BST


US President Donald Trump has sparked criticism after saying the federal government cannot fund daycare, Medicare, or Medicaid, claiming the United States must focus on military protection. Speaking at an Easter Lunch reception at the White House on Wednesday, the president told guests that social programmes should be managed by individual states rather than the federal government.

He said that states would need to raise their own taxes to cover such programmes, adding that the federal government's priority must be national defence.

Federal Funding Should Be Managed by States, Says Trump

Trump's remarks followed a discussion with Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, during which the president said, 'Don't send any money for daycare because the United States can't take care of daycare.'

He continued, 'We're fighting wars. We can't take care of daycare. You got to let a state take care of daycare and they should pay for it, too. They should pay. They'll have to raise their taxes, but they should pay for it. And we could lower our taxes a little bit to them to make up. We have to take care of one thing: military protection. We have to guard the country. But all these little things, all these little scams that have taken place, you have to let states take care of them,' Trump added.

Read more: https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/trump-sparks-outrage-claiming-federal-government-cant-fund-daycare-medicare-medicaid-saying-1789853