GOP Lawmaker Quickly Correcting Himself From 'Medicaid Cuts' to 'Medicaid Reforms' Draws Fire Online: 'Truth Slipped Out'

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A Republican lawmaker sparked criticism after slipping up during a Fox News appearance and referring to proposed GOP changes to Medicaid as "cuts" before quickly correcting himself to say "reforms."

On Thursday, Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) appeared on "The Will Cain Show" to discuss GOP spending priorities, including the controversial cap on the state and local tax (SALT) deduction. While responding to a question, Smith accidentally said "Medicaid cuts" before quickly correcting himself to "Medicaid reforms."

House Republicans have introduced a spending bill that includes sweeping changes to Medicaid, despite long-standing assurances from party leaders, including President Donald Trump, that the program would be protected.

The moment, widely shared on social media, contradicted repeated GOP messaging and ignited backlash across the political spectrum, with some saying "the truth slipped out."

"He said the quiet part out loud," one user declared, while another questioned if it could have been a "Freudian slip."