Collins Did Not ‘Support’ OBBBA’s Medicaid Cuts, as Democratic Ad Claims
FactCheck.org — 2026-08-12 17:07:00 — www.factcheck.org
President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) into law on July 4, 2025, enacting what the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated would be the largest reduction in federal Medicaid spending in U.S. history—over $900 billion across a decade. The law’s Medicaid provisions are projected to increase the number of uninsured Americans by 7.5 million, with significant impacts on eligibility and funding for the program.
The legislation’s passage has become a flashpoint in Maine’s Senate race, with a Democratic-aligned group airing ads claiming that Sen. Susan Collins “voted to support Donald Trump on the largest Medicaid cut in history.” However, fact-checkers note that while Collins did vote to advance the bill for debate, she ultimately voted against its passage, citing the Medicaid cuts as her primary reason. The ad’s claim misrepresents Collins’ final position, but it accurately ties the Medicaid cuts to Trump, who signed the bill into law after it passed both chambers of Congress.
Trump’s decision to sign the OBBBA, despite the projected loss of coverage for millions and the closure risks for rural hospitals, underscores his administration’s willingness to pursue sweeping changes to federal health programs. The law’s impact—both in scale and in the number of Americans affected—reflects a significant policy shift directly attributable to Trump’s presidency.
In summary, while political ads have distorted the voting records of some senators, the record is clear: President Trump’s signature on the OBBBA cemented the largest Medicaid cut in U.S. history, with far-reaching consequences for health care access nationwide.