John, last night was Donald Trump's first address to Congress since beginning his second term in the White House six weeks ago.
And it wasn't so much a formal address to Congress, or the nation, as it was a rehashing of his 2024 campaign — telling dangerous lies, spreading harmful misinformation, and bragging about all he's accomplished for his ultra-wealthy donors, at the expense of every day Americans.
But between his delusions of grandeur, I took note of what Trump didn't acknowledge: 1️⃣ rising costs for working families, 2️⃣ the plummeting stock market, or 3️⃣ the severe consequences of their mass government layoffs, including firing more than 2,400 staff from the Department of Veterans' Affairs and proposing to eliminate nearly 50% of Social Security Administration staff.
I attended the address alongside Florida President of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), Cynthia Boston-Thompson, so that, together, we could send the new administration a clear message:
We're all for more efficiency. We do NOT want benefits slashed for veterans or mass layoffs for key federal workers.
Yet, because of Trump's commitment to giving his wealthiest donors over $4 trillion in tax cuts, it's our most vulnerable populations — seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans — who will pay the price.
In Palm Beach County alone, nearly 200,000 residents rely on Social Security, and more than 30,000 Veterans depend on the VA for their benefits. I cannot, and will not, stand by as they suffer 1️⃣ longer wait times, 2️⃣ delayed benefits, and 3️⃣ reduced access to critical services.
I've been a loud voice against the GOP's attacks on these crucial programs for over a decade, but my team and I recognize that that makes me an easy target for their wealthiest donors in 2026.
We're working on getting ahead of the noise so I can continue to hold the Trump administration accountable for their wrongdoing in Congress, but it's going to take a strong coalition of grassroots supporters to combat MAGA's billionaire allies.
Organizing to put an end to their dangerous policies for good starts NOW, John. Will you join my people-powered movement with a donation of any amount you can spare today?
