During a tense exchange with protesters at a town hall, Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa responded to concerns over potential Medicaid cuts by declaring, “Well, we are all going to die.”

The remark came as demonstrators pressed her on the impact that proposed reductions could have on vulnerable populations, particularly the elderly and disabled. The comment quickly drew attention, with critics calling it dismissive and insensitive given the stakes of the health care debate.

Ernst’s office later clarified to news outlets that the senator was attempting to make a broader philosophical point about mortality, not the specifics of Medicaid policy.

Newsweek reached out to Ernst’s office via voicemail for further comment Friday afternoon.

Why It Matters

The Republican Party’s plans to reform government spending have drawn criticism from the Democratic Party, and voters, concerned that those receiving Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will be caught in the crosshairs.

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, arrives for a Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing in Dirksen building on Tuesday, May 13, 2025.

Associated Press

What To Know

Ernst’s comments come as Republican lawmakers seek to pass legislation touted as a way to prevent those who entered the U.S. illegally from accessing government benefits.

During the town hall in Butler County, Iowa, someone in the crowd said that cuts would lead to people dying, prompting the senator’s response that “we are all going to die”.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee called the comment “stunningly callous”.

The changes proposed by the GOP would include a strict new work requirement for some Medicaid recipients, prompting concerns that Americans could also become uninsured. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that number could be 10 million.

Ernst told those at the meeting that the aim was to “focus on those most vulnerable” and that people who meet Medicaid requirements would still receive care.

The Medicaid changes have divided Republican lawmakers, with some moderates in competitive districts expressing concerns over the risk to constituents losing benefits, while members of the House Freedom Caucus pushed for deeper cuts. House Speaker Mike Johnson and President Donald Trump held several meetings with holdout lawmakers to secure the votes needed for the bill to pass.

House Democrats unanimously opposed the bill, arguing in a joint statement that it would “rip healthcare and food assistance away from millions of people in order to provide tax cuts to the wealthy, the well-off, and the well-connected.”

What People Are Saying

X account Republicans Against Trump, reposting the video of Ernst: “Callous doesn’t even begin to cover it.”

Protect Our Care campaign, on X: “This is the Republican health care agenda: indifference to the lives of working families.”

What’s Next

The budget is now in the hands of the Senate, with Trump and Johnson hoping for few modifications to the plan.

Update: 5/30/25, 1:50 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.

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