April 17, 2026
At the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the congresswoman said that Trump has unfairly prioritized a war that lacks congressional legitimacy and is effectively stealing resources.
Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, (D-CA) delivered a blunt condemnation of President Donald Trump’s $200 billion request to continue the war in Iran and its impact on the national debt.
“Oh my gosh, yes, Stevie Wonder can even see how much this is costing us. Gas prices are going up. It’s almost $10 in California, fertilizer is going up. You name it, the prices have gone up, and this dude, Dr. Jesus, is wanting to spend $2 billion of your money every single day rather than help you get healthcare,” Kamlager-Dove told Meidas Touch.
Kamlager-Dove is no stranger to speaking about the stark divide between domestic needs and defense spending. She frequently points to the rising costs of basic goods as a primary concern. She characterized the administration’s proposed cuts to food assistance and healthcare as evidence of “unconscionable” priorities during a time of economic strain for many American families.
At the Congressional Progressive Caucus last month, the congresswoman said Trump unfairly prioritized a war that lacks congressional legitimacy and is effectively stealing resources and opportunities from the working class.
“Trump is asking Congress, which never authorized this war in the first place, this dumpster fire, to fund it with no endgame in sight,” she continued. “…This president is messy. And now he is messing with Americans’ lives, our money, and our safety. You’ve already heard from members of what this money could be used for. I’m going to give you some more. You could cover nearly 3 million people on Medicaid for a full year. You could feed over 3 million families through SNAP for a full year. You could build 91,000 affordable housing units in a year.”
Warning of a severe human cost, Kamlager-Dove asserted that the administration’s current budgetary path could have fatal consequences. She told colleagues that “people will die” if the federal safety nets currently on the chopping block are eliminated.
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