'We all are going to die': Sen. Joni Ernst defends Medicaid cuts at Iowa town hall

Ernst draws groans at Iowa town hall after retort on Medicaid cuts, saying 'we all are going to die'

NEWS AT TEN STARTS NOW. WELL, WE ALL ARE GOING TO DIE. THAT IS IOWA SENATOR REPUBLICAN JONI ERNST AT A FIERY TOWN HALL IN PARKERSBURG EARLIER TODAY. ERNST WAS RESPONDING TO CONCERNS CONSTITUENTS SHOUTED ABOUT POTENTIAL CUTS TO MEDICAID. HER RESPONSE IS FACING BACKLASH AFTER ONE ATTENDEE SAID PEOPLE WILL DIE FROM NOT GETTING COVERAGE. THE CUTS ARE JUST ONE PART OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL. MEMBERS OF IOWA’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION HAVE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. ��vlog PEPPER PAPURA JOINS US IN STUDIO TONIGHT. PEPPER, YOU TALKED WITH IOWA SENATOR, REPUBLICAN CHUCK GRASSLEY ABOUT ALL THIS TODAY. I DID STACY. WE CAUGHT UP WITH HIM AT A TOWN HALL IN PELLA. I HAD HIM RESPOND TO THE SAME CONCERNS THAT WERE RAISED AT THE ERNST EVENT. AS A SWEEPING PIECE OF LEGISLATION AWAITS A DECISION IN THE SENATE. IT’S THE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL. LAWMAKERS FROM IOWA ARE TALKING ABOUT THE BILL IN THE HAWKEYE STATE AND DRAWING CRITICISM FOR DOING SO. I WAS ALSO PROUD TO VOTE FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP’S ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL, A GENERATIONAL INVESTMENT TO SECURE OUR BORDERS PERMANENTLY. REPRESENTATIVE ASHLEY HANSEN AND IOWA’S OTHER THREE HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES SUPPORTED THE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL AS IT PASSED THE HOUSE LAST WEEK IN A 215 TO 214 VOTE. SENATOR ERNST IS ALSO VOCALIZING SUPPORT FOR THE LEGISLATION AHEAD OF SENATE VOTE, SPARKING SHOUTS FROM THE AUDIENCE IN PARKERSBURG. WHILE DISCUSSING THE CHANGES IT WOULD HAVE ON MEDICAID. WHEN YOU ARE ARGUING ABOUT ILLEGALS THAT ARE RECEIVING MEDICAID BENEFITS. 1.4 MILLION. 1.4 THEY’RE NOT. THEY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE. SO THEY WILL BE COMING OFF. SO WE PEOPLE ARE NOT WELL, WE ALL ARE GOING TO DIE. SO FOR HEAVEN’S SAKES. FOR HEAVEN’S SAKES, FOLKS. OKAY. NO, BUT BUT WELL, WHAT YOU DON’T WANT TO DO IS LISTEN TO ME WHEN I SAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON THOSE THAT ARE MOST VULNERABLE. SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY DID NOT SPECIFY HIS VIEWS ON THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL, BUT SAID HE WAS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE CHANGES IT POSES TO MEDICAID. THE ONES THAT ARE DEPENDENT ON MEDICAID AND PROBABLY HAVE BEEN ON MEDICAID FOR A LONG TIME, LIKE PEOPLE IN LOW INCOME GROUPS, PREGNANT WOMEN, SINGLE FAMILIES THAT HAVE CHILDREN AT HOME, DISABLED PEOPLE. THEY HAVE NO FEAR OF LOSING MEDICAID. IN FACT, I CAN SAY EVEN THE PEOPLE THAT WERE MAKING CHANGES FOR DON’T HAVE TO LOSE MEDICAID. THAT’S PEOPLE THAT ARE 19 TO 64 THAT ARE ABLE BODIED. THAT MEANS THEY ARE THEY DON’T HAVE DISABILITIES. THEY DON’T HAVE CHILDREN AT HOME. THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THEY THERE’S GOING TO BE A WORK REQUIREMENT FOR THEM.

Updated: 12:24 PM CDT Jun 2, 2025

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Ernst draws groans at Iowa town hall after retort on Medicaid cuts, saying 'we all are going to die'

Updated: 12:24 PM CDT Jun 2, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Republican Sen. Joni Ernst was met with shouts and groans when she said "we all are going to die" as she addressed potential changes to Medicaid eligibility at a town hall in north-central Iowa on Friday.She had been consistent in her message throughout the contentious forum at a high school in Parkersburg, Iowa, as she defended the tax and immigration package that has passed the House and is now under consideration in the Senate. Facing several constituents concerned about cuts to Medicaid, she defended the $700 billion in reduced spending, saying it would keep immigrants in the U.S. illegally and those who have access to insurance through their employers off the rolls.Then someone in the crowd yelled that people will die without coverage."People are not ... well, we all are going to die," Ernst said, drawing groans. "So, for heaven's sakes. For heaven's sakes, folks.""What you don't want to do is listen to me when I say that we are going to focus on those that are most vulnerable," Ernst went on. "Those that meet the eligibility requirements for Medicaid we will protect." WATCH: 'We all are going to die': Sen. Joni Ernst defends Medicaid cuts at Iowa town hallHouse Republicans last week muscled through the massive spending and tax cut package, dubbed "the big, beautiful bill" at the urging of President Donald Trump, by a single vote. It now moves to the Senate.Ernst made clear Friday that any measure that emerges from the Senate will look different from the House version.Republicans have defended the new work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents and stepped up eligibility verification, saying the generated savings will sustain the program for vulnerable populations. Democrats warn that millions of Americans will lose coverage.A preliminary estimate from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the proposals would reduce the number of people with health care by 8.6 million over the decade.Video of Ernst's comment started making the rounds among Democrat elected officials and candidates. Ernst is up for reelection in 2026."This morning, Joni Ernst said the quiet part out loud:" Republicans do not care "about whether their own constituents live or die as long as the richest few get richer," said Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, in a statement.

She had been consistent in her message throughout the contentious forum at a high school in Parkersburg, Iowa, as she defended the tax and immigration package that has passed the House and is now under consideration in the Senate. Facing several constituents concerned about cuts to Medicaid, she defended the $700 billion in reduced spending, saying it would keep immigrants in the U.S. illegally and those who have access to insurance through their employers off the rolls.

Then someone in the crowd yelled that people will die without coverage.

"People are not ... well, we all are going to die," Ernst said, drawing groans. "So, for heaven's sakes. For heaven's sakes, folks."

"What you don't want to do is listen to me when I say that we are going to focus on those that are most vulnerable," Ernst went on. "Those that meet the eligibility requirements for Medicaid we will protect."

WATCH: 'We all are going to die': Sen. Joni Ernst defends Medicaid cuts at Iowa town hall

House Republicans last week muscled through the massive spending and tax cut package, dubbed "the big, beautiful bill" at the urging of President Donald Trump, by a single vote. It now moves to the Senate.

Ernst made clear Friday that any measure that emerges from the Senate will look different from the House version.

Republicans have defended the new work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents and stepped up eligibility verification, saying the generated savings will sustain the program for vulnerable populations. Democrats warn that millions of Americans will lose coverage.

A preliminary estimate from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the proposals would reduce the number of people with health care by 8.6 million over the decade.

Video of Ernst's comment started making the rounds among Democrat elected officials and candidates. Ernst is up for reelection in 2026.

"This morning, Joni Ernst said the quiet part out loud:" Republicans do not care "about whether their own constituents live or die as long as the richest few get richer," said Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, in a statement.

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Ernst draws groans at Iowa town hall after retort on Medicaid cuts, saying 'we all are going to die'

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