President Donald Trump on Wednesday asserted that it is “not possible” for the federal government to fund programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and child care. He argued that these responsibilities should be handled by individual states while the federal government concentrates on military expenditures.

Remarks at White House Easter Luncheon

The president’s comments were made during a private Easter luncheon at the White House. Trump also accused states led by Democrats of engaging in fraudulent activities. He specifically stated, “don’t send any money for daycare, because the United States can’t take care of daycare.”

Federal vs. State Responsibility

Trump emphasized the scale of the nation, stating, “We’re a big country. We have 50 states…We’re fighting wars. We can’t take care of daycare.” He proposed that states should be responsible for funding childcare, potentially through increased taxes, with the federal government offering limited tax reductions to offset the costs.

“It’s not possible for us to take care of daycare, Medicaid, Medicare, all these individual things,” Trump said. “They can do it on a state basis…We have to take care of one thing: military protection.”

Video Removal and Program Funding

A video of Trump’s remarks, initially posted by the White House on YouTube – a practice typically reserved for open press events – was subsequently deleted. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the video.

Currently, the federal government provides states with funds for childcare subsidies through programs like the Child Care and Development Block Grants and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Democrats have consistently advocated for expanded federal support for childcare.

Democratic Response

Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Representative Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) previously introduced legislation aiming to expand access to early education and cap childcare costs at seven percent of household income. Several Democrats reacted strongly to Trump’s comments.

Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Trump says we can pay for war in Iran but can’t afford childcare…could pay for $10 day childcare for every American family.” Senator Andy Kim (D-N.J.) added that the cost of three weeks of military operations could fund Medicare vision, hearing, and dental coverage for seniors for a year.

Fraud Accusations and Task Force

The Trump administration has repeatedly accused states receiving federal childcare grants of fraud, often without providing substantial evidence. In January, the Health and Human Services Department froze funds for childcare and family assistance in five Democratic-led states: California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York.

Trump reiterated these accusations at the luncheon, specifically mentioning Minnesota and Los Angeles, claiming an excessive number of daycare centers relative to the number of children. He also suggested that Republican-led states might be engaging in similar fraudulent practices.

Vice President JD Vance is leading the administration’s efforts to combat fraud, having convened the first meeting of a new anti-fraud task force last week. Colin McDonald was also sworn in as the Assistant Attorney General for National Fraud Enforcement on Wednesday.