While millions of Americans brace for the loss of health coverage under President Donald Trump’s sweeping new spending bill, Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas appeared unconcerned—lighting a cigar and brushing off the warnings.
The House passed the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” on Thursday, despite bipartisan alarm over its deep cuts to Medicaid and other safety net programs. Trump is expected to sign it into law on Friday.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that 11.8 million people will lose health insurance in the coming decade due to the bill’s provisions. Other estimates put that number above 17 million.
Yet when asked about those numbers by Scripps News correspondent Elizabeth Landers, Nehls—his hands bandaged and a cigar in hand—dismissed the data outright.
“I don’t have any faith and confidence in the CBO,” Nehls said. “They’re wrong half the damn time. I’m not worried about the CBO.”
When pressed further on whether he was concerned that Americans could lose their healthcare, Nehls responded with a dubious distinction:
“Some Americans that aren’t Americans. And that is, the illegals,” he said. “Why should illegals be on Medicare?”
Nehls, a staunch Trump ally known for wearing gold sneakers and Trump-themed neckties to work, offered little empathy for those at risk of losing coverage. “We did a great job with it all,” he declared. “The American people spoke.”
But polling tells a different story. A recent Fox News national poll showed only 38% of Americans support the bill. Multiple surveys throughout June have found strong opposition from voters across party lines.
The legislation introduces the most drastic Medicaid cuts in the program’s history, slashing about $1 trillion in funding and imposing new work requirements that experts warn will push even eligible Americans off the rolls due to red tape and administrative hurdles.
While many Republican lawmakers have echoed Nehls’ dismissiveness, not all are toeing the party line. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina announced he would not seek re-election after publicly opposing the Medicaid cuts. In a fiery Senate speech, he warned that the bill “will hurt people who are eligible and qualified for Medicaid,” and accused Trump of using threats of a primary challenge to force compliance.
Nehls’ office did not respond to requests for comment about his remarks or the reason for the bandages on his hands.
The bill’s critics say its biggest winners are political talking points about cutting “waste,” while the losers are millions of Americans—including children, seniors, and the working poor—who may soon find themselves without access to basic health care.Tools
