Joe Biden in New Hampshire touts new budget proposal, goes after Trump on Medicare cuts

GOFFSTOWN — President Joe Biden attacked Donald Trump and congressional Republicans Monday as he shared his plan to lower health care costs at his first campaign event in New Hampshire since 2022.

He took verbal jabs at former President Donald Trump, who earlier in the day mentioned there are options for “cutting” spending on Social Security and Medicare during a CNBC interview.

“Republicans will cut Social Security and Medicare and give more tax cuts to the wealthy,” Biden said. “Even this morning, Donald Trump said cuts to Social Security and Medicare are on the table. I’m never gonna allow that to happen.”

A Trump campaign official later told the Washington Post Trump was referring to cutting wasteful spending.

Biden attacked Republican elected officials for having “locked arms with Big Pharma” and for wanting to reduce Medicare and Social Security, something he has repeatedly accused GOP leaders of doing.

Biden said the $2,000 cap on prescription drug costs and $35 on insulin provided on Medicare should be applied to everyone. He also called for allowing Medicare to negotiate prices for at least 50 drugs per year and to make permanent improvements to the Affordable Care Act, which is set to expire in the fall of 2025.

“Twenty-one million Americans have signed up for health care on the ACA, including 65,000 folks right here in New Hampshire,” Biden said. “Those tax credits expire next year, and I’m calling on Congress to expand the Affordable Care Act tax credits and make them permanent.”

Biden’s new budget proposal

Biden also discussed the new federal budget plan he released before his appearance Monday that looks to raise taxes on corporations and the wealthiest .01% of Americans, USA TODAY reported.

The budget would be $7.3 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year, which is a 4.6% increase over the current budget. It would bolster spending for Medicare, Social Security, border control, and other programs aimed at cost-cutting for families, like the child tax credit.

It also aims to reduce the deficit by $3 trillion over a decade. He said he’s already reduced it by $160 billion.

The budget will be the starting point for negotiations between Congress and the White House. It has likely no chance of passing the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, but it establishes Biden’s priorities for the 2024 presidential campaign and distinguishes his agenda from Trump.

Biden visit to NH part of tour of key election states

Biden’s stop was the third state he’s visiting on a six-week battleground state tour that began with Pennsylvania on Friday and Georgia over the weekend.

The 2024 campaign is kicking off after Biden’s State of the Union address last week, where he attacked his likely election opponent, Trump, without naming him and addressed a wide range of issues from abortion rights to Israel.

Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-New Hampshire, spoke in advance of the president. Biden was introduced by Rose Keller, a 22-year-old woman who was born with cystic fibrosis, who said she and her family have struggled with the high cost of the drug that keeps her alive.

Protest and next steps in campaign

Across the street from the venue, a small group of protesters chanted against Biden and waved Trump signs.

After the speech, Biden went to Manchester to celebrate the opening of a new campaign office. During the next six weeks, the campaign is expected to open more than 100 offices across the country.

Reporting by Joey Garrison and Michael Collins of USA TODAY is included in this report.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Biden in New Hampshire attacks Trump on social security, Medicare cuts