Democrats attack Donald Trump on senior spending ahead of visit to The Villages
Screenshot from new DNC ad attacking Donald Trump for proposed cuts to Social Security.

Trump DNC ad
New video slams proposed cuts to Social Security, Medicaid.

The Democratic National Committee slammed Donald Trump’s record with seniors as the President prepares to visit The Villages.

A video released by the national party Thursday calls out Trump’s “Broken Promises to Seniors.”

The same day, the Florida Democratic Party and left leaning groups put out campaign material targeting Florida seniors specifically in The Villages.

“Donald Trump thinks he can hide in The Villages from his broken promises, his lies, and his corruption,” said Terrie Rizzo, Florida Democratic Party Chair, “but we have a message for Trump — the truth is catching up to you and Florida isn’t fooled.”

That includes proposing cuts to Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare, which would “negatively impact senior citizens nationwide.”

“Today, Donald Trump will travel to The Villages in Florida to try to distract from his countless broken promises to seniors, but he can’t escape his record,” reads a DNC press release.

“In 2016, Trump promised to make health care for seniors more affordable and accessible, but his 2020 budget slashes hundreds of billions from Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.”

The ad itself edits news reports about a White House budget proposal that includes $1.8 trillion in cuts to entitlement programs.

It splices those reports to footage from a 2016 Republican Presidential Debate.

“It’s very simple,” Trump said. “We’re going to save Social Security and we’re going to save Medicare.”

The DNC ad then cuts to interviews with senior voters talking about the need to preserve Social Security. A series of individuals categorize the program as the greatest anti-poverty initiative in U.S. history and something that allows seniors to live with dignity.

“50 percent of African Americans would live in poverty if they didn’t have Social Security,” the ad claims, before making claims half of women over age 65 would similarly be forced into poverty, as would 46 percent of Hispanics over that age.

One woman testifies the social services provided by the programs provided for life-saving medical care six years ago.

The ad’s release was timed to a visit by Trump Thursday to The Villages, a Republican-heavy retirement community in Central Florida.

The attack by the DNC also came out the same day liberal Super PAC American Bridge 21st Century released a similar attack spotlighting Trump’s proposed cuts to Medicare.

Florida Democrats held a press conference attacking Trump in Republican country. That included a video similar to the DNC’s spot, but featuring residents of The Villages.

One frets openly about monthly medication rising in price from $90 to $300 per month under Trump.

“Donald Trump has done irreparable damage,” she says. “He is not a Republican, he is not a Democrat. He is not for seniors. He is not for the military. He is for Donald Trump. Period.”

Left-leaning groups piled on further at a press conference timed to the Presidential visit.

“Retirees aren’t born Democrats, Republicans, or yesterday,” said Barbara DeVane, state secretary of the Florida Alliance for Retired Americans.

“We are outraged that Trump would dare to come to a place that has so many retirees that depend on Medicare and Social Security, and so desire for true, true programs that will bring down the costs of pharmaceutical drugs in this country.”

Jacob Ogles

Jacob Ogles has covered politics in Florida since 2000 for regional outlets including SRQ Magazine in Sarasota, The News-Press in Fort Myers and The Daily Commercial in Leesburg. His work has appeared nationally in The Advocate, Wired and other publications. Events like SRQ’s Where The Votes Are workshops made Ogles one of Southwest Florida’s most respected political analysts, and outlets like WWSB ABC 7 and WSRQ Sarasota have featured his insights. He can be reached at [email protected].



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