The Trump administration is eyeing major reductions in safety net programs like food stamps, Medicaid, and housing assistance. But here’s the twist: many of the people who could lose out are the same working-class voters who helped put him in office.

Republicans are considering these cuts to help pay for tax breaks, mostly benefiting the wealthy. However, these programs don’t just help the poorest Americans—they also support millions of working families barely making ends meet.

During his first term, Trump tried to tighten food stamp rules, which would have saved billions but hurt low-income workers. While those efforts stalled, the push to shrink safety net spending is back on the table.

Experts point out the irony: the Republican Party’s base increasingly includes people who rely on these programs. “There’s a real tension here,” said a former budget official. “The policies they’re pushing could hurt the very people supporting them.”

How deep the cuts will go is still unclear. But with Trump’s renewed focus on tax cuts and rising deficits, the pressure to slash spending is stronger than ever. For many of his supporters, the stakes couldn’t be higher.