As GOP eyes Medicaid cuts, Trump tries to avoid the political third rails

President Donald Trump has insisted he won't cut Medicare , Medicaid and Social Security .

The three entitlement programs provide benefits to more than 130 million Americans .

The coming budget fights are shaping up as a test: Do the programs remain a political third rail? Or is there a path to cut programs that some watchdogs acknowledge are bloated by wasted spending without being punished by voters?.

Experts say Medicaid is more vulnerable to potential changes and cuts than Medicare and Social Security .

Democrats say they are willing to consider changes to entitlement programs, but not as the GOP pushes ahead on a budget plan that they say is focused on lowering taxes for the party’s wealthy supporters.

A newsletter written by Blase on Wednesday highlighted “wasteful” Medicaid spending growth under the Biden administration and argued that the House ’s budget efforts would largely reverse that. Another recent newsletter urged lawmakers not to back away from the coming health-care fight. “Responsible governing involves making tough decisions,” Blase wrote..