Trump Calls for Prioritizing Military Spending

President Donald Trump stated Wednesday that the U.S. government should shift its funding priorities, focusing on “military protection” and leaving social programs to the states. He argued the federal government is unable to simultaneously fund both war efforts and programs like daycare, Medicaid, and Medicare.

Statements Made at White House Easter Lunch

“We can’t take care of daycare. We’re a big country. We’re fighting wars,” Trump told an audience during an Easter lunch at the White House. A video of his remarks was briefly posted online before being removed.

Focus on State-Level Funding

Trump specifically suggested states should take responsibility for funding daycare, and that they should raise taxes to cover these costs. He proposed the federal government could potentially lower taxes for states to offset some of the burden, but maintained federal resources are best directed towards national defense.

Context of Potential Budget Cuts

The remarks come as the U.S. and Israel recently launched military strikes on Iran on February 28. Axios reported earlier this week that Republican lawmakers are considering federal health spending cuts as part of a budget bill. This bill would allocate $200 billion towards funding the conflict with Iran and increased immigration enforcement.

Federal vs. State Responsibility

Trump emphasized the limitations of federal funding, stating, “It's not possible for us to take care of daycare, Medicaid, Medicare, all these individual things.” He believes these programs are better managed at the state level. “We have to take care of one thing, military protection. We have to guard the country,” he added.

Newsweek utilized its AI assistant, Martyn, in the production of this story.