When Disability Becomes a Political Target — Families Like Ours Pay the Price

Oct 22

When Fred Trump III asked his uncle Donald Trump for money to help with his disabled son's medical care, he says the former U.S. president suggested letting the young man die instead.

Let’s Make all of America Great Again!

President Donald Trump has made headlines for many reasons, but for families like ours — raising children with disabilities — his words and actions often land like a punch to the gut. Over the years, his public statements and policy positions have repeatedly signaled a lack of empathy and understanding for the disability community.

Here’s the truth: raising a child with special needs isn’t just “a challenge.” It’s a daily fight for equity, services, and dignity. It’s endless appointments, sleepless nights, insurance denials, IEP meetings that feel like battles, and constant advocacy to secure basic rights that should already be protected. For us, disability isn’t a political talking point — it’s the fabric of our lives.

And it raises a powerful question:

What if Donald Trump had a child with severe special needs — like his own nephew, who reportedly faced significant developmental challenges?

Would his rhetoric soften if he’d lived through years of evaluations, endless service denials, or the sting of watching his child be excluded? Would his policies look different if he had to rely on the significantly supports he’s now targeting for cuts?

Disability Is Not a Budget Line — It’s Real Life

When politicians debate funding for special education, Medicaid, or community-based services, they’re not just moving numbers on a spreadsheet. They’re deciding whether our kids can access speech therapy, inclusive classrooms, assistive technology, or residential and transition supports.

Families like ours can’t afford to be indifferent. Every single policy choice either supports our children or pushes us closer to survival mode.

And let’s be honest: the current direction isn’t looking good. Proposed cuts to disability programs under Trump’s leadership signal a prioritization of “shrinking government” at the expense of the most vulnerable. That means fewer supports in schools, reduced access to Medicaid-funded therapies, and a weakening of protections that many of our children depend on to live, learn, and participate in their communities.

This is not a hypothetical threat — it’s a clear political direction that demands a strong, united response.

Words Matter. So Does Lived Experience.

When a leader doesn’t understand the disability world firsthand, it shows. It shows in the way they talk. It shows in what they cut. It shows in who gets left behind.

Imagine if Trump — or any politician pushing cuts — spent one year walking in our shoes. Sitting in on IEP meetings. Juggling insurance denials. Watching a child be misunderstood and underestimated. There’s no doubt the tone, the empathy, and the policy priorities would look entirely different.

How Parents Can Stay Strong — and Fight Back

We may not control who sits in the White House, but we do control how we show up. Here’s what families can do to stay optimistic, grounded, and powerful:

Stay informed. Follow legislation, proposed cuts, and disability-rights advocacy groups. Knowledge is power.
Organize with other parents. One voice can be ignored. A collective can’t. Join networks, coalitions, or Facebook groups that keep the pressure on policymakers.
Document everything. Keep strong records of services, denials, and IEP decisions. Data makes your advocacy harder to dismiss.
Vote like your child’s future depends on it. Because it does. Local, state, and federal elections all matter.
Take care of yourself, too. Resilience isn’t about pretending things don’t hurt. It’s about refueling so you can keep showing up for your child. Therapy, support groups, faith communities, or even a walk with a friend can make a real difference.
Teach your child their worth. No matter what happens in Washington, your child’s dignity is not up for negotiation.

Where This Is Headed — and Why We Can’t Stay Quiet

Let’s be real: Trump’s political strategy leans hard into slashing programs he views as “nonessential,” and historically, disability services have been on that chopping block. That means parents, advocates, and allies can’t sit on the sidelines. We have to speak up — loudly, persistently, and collectively.

Because when politicians make cuts, it’s not just numbers they’re erasing. It’s children’s futures. It’s the family’s stability. It’s our hard-won rights.

Until leaders truly understand what it means to live this life, we’ll keep pushing. We’ll keep showing up. We’ll keep reminding them: our children matter.⸻