Possible Republican cuts to Social Security was too controversial of an issue for one member of Congress to handle.
Republican Representative Rob Wittman of Virginia was asked by Meidas Touch outside of the Capitol Tuesday about House Speaker Mike Johnson’s rumored plans to cut Social Security, and he immediately tried to pretend he couldn’t answer the question. Wittman grabbed his phone and started an imaginary conversation, with his phone screen clearly showing that he wasn’t on a call.
Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) faked a phone call for roughly 90 seconds after being asked about Speaker Mike Johnson’s comments regarding potential Social Security cuts.
The phone's screen remained visible, with his cheek inadvertently tapping different parts of the display. pic.twitter.com/y3ST5AX651
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) June 10, 2026
Wittman fully committed to his bit, ignoring follow-up questions and pretending to discuss a fictional appointment while walking by cars for over a full minute. When his “call” ended, he proceeded to leave the Capitol grounds. It’s not the first time Wittman has faked a phone call to avoid speaking with reporters, as he did the same thing to Drop Site News reporter Julian Andreone last week.
Oh hey! He did this to me & @DropSiteNews last week! https://t.co/lR40fjKNw1 pic.twitter.com/kGs69cL9Ec
— Julian Andreone (@JulianAndreone) June 10, 2026
On Monday, Johnson said in a radio show appearance that “entitlement programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and things like Social Security” need to be “adjusted and fixed,” which appears to indicate that cuts are coming.
Ken Martin, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, attacked Johnson on X, saying “Republicans have a plan to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid—after already passing the largest healthcare cut in history. Higher costs, less healthcare. That’s what Republicans are running on this November.”
In response, Johnson accused Democrats and the media of fearmongering, claiming that Republicans are the only ones doing anything about fraud and abuse. But the GOP’s record, particularly during President Trump’s second term, shows that they have no misgivings about cutting programs like Medicare or Social Security. If they retain control of Congress after November, those cuts are almost certainly coming.