June 28, 2025
Dear Friends,
Five months into Donald Trump’s second term, one thing has become clear: dishonesty is the hallmark of his administration. On every issue — from health care and food assistance to foreign policy — Trump and his GOP allies in Congress have made promises they never intended to keep. Now, with our nation inching toward another catastrophic war in the Middle East and Republicans pushing a cruel budget that guts earned benefits for millions, more and more Americans are realizing the truth: Trump and his cronies cannot be trusted to look out for our best interests. This week brought new and alarming examples of that deceit.
When Donald Trump took office in January, he pledged to be “a peacemaker and unifier” on the world stage. But last weekend, he broke that promise by launching unauthorized airstrikes against Iran — an illegal act of war that bypassed Congress and risks plunging the United States into yet another prolonged Middle East conflict. While Trump insisted that the strikes “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear facilities, the Defense Intelligence Agency assessed that they had set the program back by no more than a few months — raising the likelihood of drawn-out warfare and long-term regional instability.
The American people have made it abundantly clear: they don’t want another war of choice in the Middle East. Congress must act immediately by passing a bipartisan War Powers Act resolution to contain the fallout, prevent further escalation, and reassert its constitutional authority over matters of war and peace. Trump promised to end the conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, between Israel and Hamas, and across the broader Middle East. On all accounts, he has failed.
Donald Trump and his allies also promised to “love and cherish” Medicare and Medicaid, vowing repeatedly that no one would lose their coverage and that only “waste, fraud, and abuse” would be cut. But these were more bald-faced lies. Last month, the House passed Trump’s so-called “big, beautiful bill” — a reckless budget scheme that the independent, nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) says would strip health coverage from 16 million Americans. Now, Senate Republicans are clamoring to make Trump’s bill even uglier — with steeper cuts that will leave more kids, parents, and seniors without health care so they can reward their billionaire donors with even bigger tax breaks.
Despite their excuses and spin, Republicans know exactly how devastating their budget will be for millions of families. Yet even as they scramble to walk back some of the worst provisions of the bill they supported, GOP lawmakers have shown nothing but contempt for the everyday Americans pleading with them to consider the devastating consequences of this legislation.
When one constituent told Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) at a town hall meeting that people would die due to Republicans’ Medicaid cuts, she replied coldly: “Well, we all are going to die.” Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was similarly dismissive, brushing off concerns by saying “I know a lot of us are hearing from people back home about Medicaid. But they’ll get over it.” These callous remarks are no gaffes — they’re a glimpse behind the curtain of a party that knows it’s lying and does it anyway.
In the face of this relentless campaign of dishonesty and destruction, I’ve heard a recurring and urgent question from my constituents: “What do we do? What can we do?” With that question in mind, I hosted a virtual discussion this week with democracy experts to explore tangible ways that each of us can push back against anti-democratic forces and work to build a stronger, freer, and more inclusive America. If you weren’t able to join us live, I encourage you to check out a recording of the conversation on my Facebook or YouTube pages — because the fight for our democracy begins with each of us choosing to stay engaged and informed.
Authoritarianism and disinformation thrive when people feel powerless. But we are not powerless. Our voices, our organizing, and our actions all matter — and now is the time to use every tool at our disposal. I’ll continue standing up to the cruelty and lawlessness of this administration. And if we all stand together, no lie is too big and no threat is too great to overcome.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates, announcements, and recommendations from governments and agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- The U.S. Census Bureau has launched a nationwide hiring initiative to bring on a limited number of temporary field representatives and supervisors.
- These field representatives and supervisors will engage directly with their communities, gathering valuable data that reflects the diverse makeup and needs of our nation.
- Immediate openings are available across the country, and the Bureau is encouraging anyone interested to apply as soon as possible.
- For more information or to submit your application today, click HERE!
