Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., attends a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington on April 30, 2026.
Graeme Sloan/Getty Images
hide caption
Graeme Sloan/Getty Images
The Democrats won back Congress. Now the more difficult question arises: How much can they actually change with President Trump still in the White House?
“I challenge him to veto it,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. Morning editionchallenging Trump to reject bipartisan legislation restoring Medicaid coverage.
Gillibrand said Democrats would focus on reducing costs, restoring access to health care and ending the war in Iran.
Democrats are also under pressure to hold the Trump administration accountable, with new investigative powers and the possibility of a third impeachment.
When asked about the indictment, Gillibrand did not commit to pursuing it.
“We can do both,” she said, proposing a ban on stock trading for members of Congress and senior administration officials.
Like other Democrats, Gillibrand cited the war in Iran as a factor in the party’s election victories, saying Trump had broken his promise to avoid prolonged wars because the conflict was driving up costs.
“We must end this war in Iran,” she said.
Trump acknowledged Wednesday that the war contributed to the Republican electoral defeat. But the conflict continues, with Iranian officials warning of further US attacks. How Democrats plan to end the war remains unclear.
In her interview with NPR’s A Martínez, Gillibrand also discussed Democrats’ gains in Republican states, Trump’s ballroom and cuts to food aid and medical research.
Listen to the full conversation by clicking the blue button above.
The digital version was edited by Treye Green.
Gn headline
