Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear sharply criticized President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” calling it the “single worst piece of legislation I’ve seen in my lifetime.” Speaking during a Sunday interview, Beshear warned that the sweeping $3.3 trillion federal bill would devastate rural America, especially in states like Kentucky.
The governor said the legislation would strip essential healthcare coverage from hundreds of thousands, potentially forcing up to 35 rural hospitals to shut down. He estimated over 200,000 Kentuckians could lose Medicaid coverage, with an additional 20,000 healthcare workers at risk of losing their jobs. Beshear stated that the legislation doesn’t just affect the poor—it also harms private insurance holders by destabilizing rural health infrastructure.
Beshear described the bill as an attack by Washington elites on working-class Americans. He said the legislation was designed with no regard for the real-life consequences facing families in rural communities. The bill’s cuts to healthcare and essential services, he argued, represent a direct threat to the wellbeing and dignity of American families.
He also framed the issue through a moral lens, pointing to Christian values of compassion and care for the vulnerable. Beshear referenced the Biblical story of Jesus feeding the 5,000, urging lawmakers to consider the spiritual cost of stripping services from those in need. He said governing must be rooted in service, not political calculation.
As chair of the Democratic Governors Association, Beshear is using his platform to rally opposition to the bill and advocate for alternatives that prioritize working families. He emphasized that the country needs leaders who are willing to stand up for those without a voice and called on both parties to reconsider the bill’s long-term consequences.
