Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) was forced to defend President Donald Trump's massive spending bill when questioned by CNN's Kasie Hunt on Wednesday afternoon.
The interview came as House Republicans stalled action on the bill over cuts to Medicaid and a potential $3 trillion increase to the deficit.
"I'm old enough to remember if there was a bill that added this much to our debt and deficit, I cannot imagine you would be happy about it in those years," Hunt said before asking why Jordan thought the bill was so unpopular.
'It's dramatically unpopular when you look at the partisan split in the country, we're basically a 50-50 country — this is, like, underwater by either 20 or 30 points, depending on what poll you read," Hunt said.
Jordan skirted the question, answering, "I will tell you what will be unpopular is, if we allow taxes to go up on the families we get the privilege of representing. Hardworking American families don't want to be paying more to the government, the government that sends their money to, you know, all kinds of ridiculous things that DOGE uncovered. I don't think they want their taxes going up. So, I tell you, that will be unpopular."
Jordan also mentioned the Medicaid work requirement that would make sure "able-bodied people getting your money, your viewers' money in our welfare system, are going to have to work in order to receive that benefit."
Hunt asked if Jordan had heard from hospitals in his district, "from people who, at the end of the day, somebody walks into an emergency room without Medicaid — somebody is paying that bill, and it's going to be either the hospital or the other taxpayers."
Jordan protested, "We're not kicking anyone off Medicaid; we're just saying if you're going to get it, you have to go to work."
Critics argue that the work requirements could disproportionately affect caregivers, as well as those with disabilities and chronic conditions.
