Khanna proposes 'Make Him Veto Medicare for All' agenda
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna proposed making Trump veto Medicare for All and other progressive bills if Democrats win.
The clash exposes a Democratic split over confrontation versus caution before 2028.
Background
Rep. Ro Khanna is a progressive U.S. representative from California; Sen. Brian Schatz is a Democratic senator from Hawaii who would be the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate if the party retakes control after the November 3 midterms. The dispute follows those midterms, with Schatz arguing Democrats should moderate their ambitions if they regain Congress. Khanna's posts are part of a broader push against the Democratic establishment, including his criticism of California Gov. Gavin Newsom over a billionaire tax and his "New Deal Democrat" framing against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
How it unfolded
- Oct 18, 2026Khanna posted on X that he is "not going to betray voters done with the donor class," listing taxing billionaires, Medicare for All, free child care, free college and trade schools, and no U.S. aid to Israel, and declaring "I am a New Deal Democrat, not a Chuck Schumer Democrat."
- Oct 18, 2026Khanna criticized Newsom over Prop 42, calling it a "billionaire backed initiative," and said he stood with unions in backing a billionaire tax.
- Oct 22, 2026Schatz, speaking on CNN's "The Arena" with Kasie Hunt, said it is not time to propose things the president is guaranteed to veto.
- Oct 23, 2026Khanna wrote on social media that Democrats should force Trump to veto a litany of progressive policies, including "Make him veto Medicare for All."
- Oct 24, 2026Groundwork CEO Lindsay Owens called Schatz's strategy "worrisome," and several writers and analysts criticized his position on social media.
Who’s saying what
- Party
- Schatz said it is not time to propose things the president is guaranteed to veto, calling it "somewhat of a bit of wasted energy" and saying bold policy changes require taking the presidency and both chambers, "and that's for 2028."
- Support
- Khanna said Democrats should "Make him veto Medicare for All" along with a $25 living wage, free childcare, blocking bombs to Israel, free college, erasing student loans and taxes on billionaires.
- Analysts
- Lindsay Owens of Groundwork called Schatz's strategy "worrisome," arguing "Trump vetoing bills to make healthcare cheaper is a good political outcome for Dems."
- Caution
- Writer Katelyn Burns, The Debt Collective, The Prospect's David Dayen and analyst Austin Ahlman criticized Schatz's position on social media.