WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie went to bat for the Trump administration during a town hall event on CNN Thursday night, defending Elon Musk and the president's economic policies during the 90-minute prime time program.
The first-term Lehigh Valley Republican praised President Donald Trump for reducing inflation even as the stock market swung wildly in the aftermath of tariff announcements over the past week.
He also towed the party line, accusing Democrats of fearmongering over conservative proposals to cut Medicaid by as much as $880 billion.
But Mackenzie also acknowledged he would not support such steep cuts to Medicaid.
A former state representative from Lower Macungie Township, Mackenzie said he would back reforms that would require able-bodied recipients to seek employment and block people illegally in the country from getting benefits. But he said he wouldn't see services reduced for the vulnerable Americans traditionally served by the 60-year-old program.
"Until I see that, I am not going to commit my vote," Mackenzie said.
A range of issues
Mackenzie was one of four U.S. House members from battleground districts who participated in the program "Town Hall: America Asks Congress."
The 90-minute forum saw residents from the quartet's districts question them on the economy, DOGE, education, the border and voter ID, among other topics.
Mackenzie appeared with Reps. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y.; Jahana Hayes, R-Conn.; and Derek Tran, D-Calif. CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Kaitlan Collins moderated the conversation.
Early in the night, Mackenzie made an unsubstantiated claim that illegal immigrants are to blame for measles outbreaks in the United States.
A New York medical provider questioned the House members about the fitness for office of U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, an anti-vaccine activist. Mackenzie said he and his wife are getting their 1-year-old son immunized before he turned his attention to illegal immigration.
"They are bringing these diseases into our country. There is a reason why measles has started to spread in our country after decades of being almost eradicated in this country," Mackenzie said.
More than 500 people have been infected with the disease in West Texas, and two children have died. Texas officials have not been able to pinpoint a cause for the outbreak, which has grabbed national attention. However, officials said the diseases have only been able to take hold because community immunization has dipped below 95%, the point at which herd immunity restricts the spread of communicable diseases.
On Friday morning, Mackenzie's office defended his comments by citing a 2024 measles outbreak in Chicago centered around a migrant shelter. That outbreak saw 57 confirmed cases that resulted in 51 hospitalizations but no fatalities.
The CDC reported that investigators traced the Chicago outbreak to a 1-year-old boy who had entered the country months earlier. Given the timing, investigators determined the boy likely contracted the disease locally.
Lehigh Valley residents in audience
Several Lehigh Valley residents were on hand in the studio to ask questions of their own.
Eric Watson, a Bath Republican and director of operations at Allentown Kia, asked representatives how they would support the American auto industry.
Mackenzie defended Trump's tariff strategy, saying America needed to fight back against nations who have imposed barriers on American corporations overseas.
"American industry has been hollowed out for decades because of unfair trade practices from places like China. I think we are actually in a position right now, as a country, to finally address this challenge," Mackenzie said.
"American industry has been hollowed out for decades because of unfair trade practices from places like China. I think we are actually in a position right now, as a country, to finally address this challenge."U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley
Leslie Adams of Orefield asked the members of Congress what they were doing to counteract Musk, the billionaire placed in charge of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency.
Media reports have found that Musk has exaggerated his findings of waste and fraud, and some critical employees terminated by his office have been rehired. Mackenzie said that DOGE has been haphazard, saying they've moved too fast at times but accused Democrats of demonizing a titan of industry.
"They are fighting against change. They are fighting against cutting waste, fraud and abuse in our government. That is what they are fighting against when they attack Elon Musk and the DOGE initiative," Mackenzie said.
The televised event was Mackenzie's second town hall but his first in-person. Last month, Mackenzie held a telephone town hall that coincided with an in-person town hall organized by Democratic rivals.
Mackenzie defeated Democratic incumbent Susan Wild in last year's race for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District by a 1-point margin. The battleground seat, which represents all of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties plus part of Monroe County, is among the most competitive seats in the nation.
Last year's race saw the candidates and their allies drop more than $38 million in the congressional race, making it one of the most expensive in the country.
