Tempers exploded at a town hall in Parkersburg, Iowa, after Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) delivered a cold, offhand remark that stunned the crowd. In response to concerns about people dying from Medicaid cuts, Ernst replied, “Right, we all are going to die.”
The moment came during a heated exchange over President Donald Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” which narrowly passed the Republican-controlled House. The bill faces an uncertain future in the Senate — and fierce public backlash on the ground.
Critics point to a Congressional Budget Office estimate that up to 9 million people could lose their health coverage under the bill. Other independent reports warn the number could climb as high as 15 million.
At the Friday morning town hall, an attendee brought up the devastating impact of those projections. When Ernst attempted to explain that some Medicaid recipients would be removed for not meeting eligibility, a member of the audience shouted, “People will die!”
Ernst’s chilling response: “Right, we all are going to die.”
The crowd erupted — jeers, shouts, and profanity filled the room.
From there, the senator tried to regain control. She insisted the changes were meant to stop “overpayments” and remove people “that have not been eligible for these programs by law.” She blamed the issue on undocumented immigrants receiving Medicaid, saying, “They are not eligible, so they will be coming off.”
When another audience member shot back, “They can’t afford them!” referring to alternative health coverage, Ernst kept pushing her message: “Leave those dollars for those that aren’t eligible for Medicaid.”
As the crowd grew angrier, one person shouted, “That’s a lie!”
Ernst replied sharply: “It’s not a lie. It’s not self-willed, darling.” She went on to claim the changes had bipartisan support.
But by then, the damage was done. Her “we all are going to die” remark had already landed like a gut punch — haunting, tone-deaf, and unforgettable.
This wasn’t just a policy debate. For many in the room, it was about life and death. And Ernst’s response made one thing painfully clear: empathy was nowhere in sight.
Watch the clip below:
