“This is about painfully misplaced priorities. We can continue to funnel enormous sums into endless wars that serve to enrich the defense industrial complex, or we can invest in the health, stability, and economic security of our people.”
Chicago, IL – Families Over Billionaires Executive Director Kristen Crowell released the following statement regarding President Trump’s new budget request, namely, the $1.5 trillion he has requested for the Pentagon and military contractors, and his plan to offset added costs with further cuts to essential health care programs.
Kristen Crowell, Executive Director, Families Over Billionaires:
“At a time when families are struggling to afford the basics—health care, groceries, and child care—it is unconscionable to spend $1.5 trillion of taxpayer dollars on a war in Iran that the American people do not want.
Put that in real terms:
● $1.5 trillion could cover child care for tens of millions of children for years, or finance a universal child care system nationwide several times over. The lack of affordable child care already costs our economy an estimated $122–$172 billion every year in lost earnings and productivity.
● For less than a tenth of $1.5 trillion spread over a decade, we could extend ACA tax credits, expand Medicaid, and meaningfully improve Medicare, lowering costs and expanding care for tens of millions of people.
Instead, Trump wants to spend that entire sum on an unpopular war of choice. Donald Trump says this country is ‘too big’ and too invested in fighting wars to commit to something as fundamental as child care. And on top of cuts to essential health care programs in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, he’s asking Republicans in Congress to slash even more.
That’s not just out of touch—it’s a complete reversal of what Americans actually want. Across the political spectrum, voters support public investments that lower costs and provide real, tangible support for working families.
This is about painfully misplaced priorities. We can continue to funnel enormous sums into endless wars that serve to enrich the defense industrial complex, or we can invest in the health, stability, and economic security of our people.
Families Over Billionaires believes the choice is clear: guarantee affordable child care, expand access to health care, and lower costs at home—not bankroll another war that leaves working families behind.”
COSTS BACKGROUND:
● Donald Trump’s OBBBA drastically cut Medicaid ($1 trillion), food assistance ($187 billion), and failed to extend health insurance subsidies (calculate value per state) for tens of millions of Americans, resulting in higher costs and fewer resources people need across the board.
● Extending the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, which would lower people’s insurance premiums dramatically, costs roughly $30–$40 billion per year and would help more than 20 million Americans afford coverage. More generous tax credits for people insured through the Affordable Care Act have led to record enrollment in health plans and lowered the cost of premiums for people in all income brackets.
● Providing incentives for states to expand Medicaid would cost on the order of $10–$20 billion annually and could close the coverage gap for more than 2 million low-income adults. It would also shore up hospitals and clinics at risk of closure or reduced services, particularly in rural areas. (See Protect Our Care’s Hospital Crisis Watch).
● Child care in the United States costs families between roughly $5,000 and over $17,000 per year per child, and often exceeds $20,000 in high-cost states. In 38 states, child care is more expensive than public college tuition.
● Discover even more opportunity costs of Iran War spending via the National Priorities Project. And see “Five Questions to Ask in Trump’s 2027 Budget,” from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
PUBLIC SENTIMENT BACKGROUND:
● Poll: Americans Want a Budget that Prioritizes Programs Cut by President Trump and Republicans in Congress (Navigator Research, March 31, 2026)
● Poll: Americans Want Billionaires to Pay More in Taxes; Government to Invest in Public Services & Lower Costs (GBAO & Families Over Billionaires, October 2025)
● Poll: Crushing Health Care Costs Top Priority for Voters (Families USA, October 2025)
● Poll: Americans Broadly Disapprove of U.S. Military Action in Iran (Pew, March 25, 2026)
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Families Over Billionaires (FOB) is at the forefront of the fight to take on the billionaire class and rewrite our tax laws so that working people can build good lives with dignity and stability. Learn more on our website: www.familiesoverbillionaires.org.
