US Senator Joni Ernst issues cynical apology for Medicaid comments
US Senator Joni Ernst posted a video on his Instagram story to address the virus comments he made about Medicaid when he said “we’re all going to die.”
- Senator Joni Ernst’s response to constituent concerns over Medicaid cuts, sparking controversy, “We’re all going to die.”
- Ernst has now posted an apology video on Instagram, apparently being filmed in the cemetery.
- The Senator’s comments drew criticism from Democrats who are concerned about the potential impact of Medicaid cuts proposed in President Donald Trump’s tax plan.
Sen. Joni Ernst posted a sarcastic apology video following a viral moment when he told town hall audiences that “we’ll all die” in response to concerns about Medicaid cuts.
The original Iowa Republican comments came to the Parkersburg town hall on May 30, but she answered questions about Medicaid cuts in a tax package for President Donald Trump, poised for the Senate to consider. In Ernst’s answer, someone in the audience interrupts her and says, “People will die!”
Ernst replied, “People aren’t – well, we will all die. For heaven, for the sake of the people.”
The comments immediately attracted public attention and received widespread criticism from Democrats who criticized the impact of potential Medicaid cuts.
Ernst posted a video on his May 31st Instagram Story, apparently speaking directly to the camera from the cemetery.
“Hello everyone. I would like to take this opportunity to heartily apologize for the statement I made at my town hall yesterday,” she began before explaining the incident.
Senator Joni Ernst of Iowatown Hall: “Well, we’re all going to die.”
Sen. Joni Ernst defended Cut to Medicaid at Iowa City Hall on May 30, 2025, with an angry crowd facing her.
“I made the false assumption that everyone in the auditorium understands, yes, that we are all going to perish from this earth,” she said. “So I apologize and I’m really pleased that I didn’t have to raise the Tooth Fairy subject.
“But for those who want to see eternal and eternal life, I encourage you to accept my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” she added.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that Trump’s tax bill could cut federal Medicaid spending by $723 billion over a decade and increase the number of uninsured people by 7.6 million.
At Parkersburg City Hall, Ernst said the bill’s goal is to ensure that those who are not eligible for Medicaid benefits do not receive them.
“What you don’t want to do is listen to me when you say we’re trying to focus on the most vulnerable,” Ernst said. “People who meet Medicaid eligibility requirements, we protect them. We protect them. Medicaid is very important in Iowa. If you don’t want to hear it, it’s fine.”
Later that day, she denounced “hysteria coming from the left” for her response to her first comment.
Stephen Gruber-Miller covers Iowa State Capitol and politics in Des Moines Register, part of the USA Today Network. He can be contacted by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or via X. @grubermiller.
