Progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) launched a scathing attack on President Donald Trump Tuesday, accusing him of orchestrating a “constitutional crisis” by halting federal grants and loans, a move that has disrupted Medicaid services nationwide. The shutdown of Medicaid portals has left millions of Americans without access to critical healthcare services, sparking outrage among Democratic lawmakers.
“Trump is holding all the nation’s hospitals and vital services hostage to seize power from Congress and hand it over to billionaires,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote in a social media post. She added, “We must state the truth: this is a constitutional crisis. It’s a massive, illegal power grab that the House and Senate have a sworn duty to stop.”
The New York congresswoman’s comments came in response to Trump’s sweeping executive order, which paused trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans, effective Tuesday. The order has jeopardized several essential government programs, including Medicaid, which provides health insurance to over 70 million low-income Americans.
Ocasio-Cortez’s criticism echoed that of Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), who earlier confirmed the nationwide Medicaid portal outage on Bluesky. Wyden condemned the move as “a blatant attempt to rip away health care from millions of Americans overnight and will get people killed.”
The shutdown has intensified the growing Democratic opposition to the Trump administration’s aggressive use of executive orders. Ocasio-Cortez, a prominent progressive voice, has been a vocal critic of Trump’s policies, and her latest remarks underscore the deepening divide between the administration and its opponents.
The Medicaid portal outage has raised concerns about the immediate impact on vulnerable populations who rely on the program for health care coverage. Advocacy groups and healthcare providers have warned that the disruption could lead to delayed treatments, loss of coverage, and increased strain on hospitals already grappling with the ongoing pandemic.
Ocasio-Cortez’s call to action reflects the urgency of the situation, as Democrats rally to challenge the administration’s actions. “This is not just a policy disagreement; it’s an attack on the very foundations of our democracy,” she wrote. “Congress must act now to stop this unconstitutional overreach and protect the health and well-being of the American people.”
The controversy highlights the escalating tensions between the Trump administration and progressive lawmakers, as the battle over executive power and health care access continues to unfold.