Rep. McCormick faces heated town hall over Trump's budget cuts and CDC layoffs

ROSWELL, Ga. - Rep. Rich McCormick, who represents Georgia's 6th congressional district, faced a flurry of questions about President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency during a town hall meeting on Thursday. 

It was held at Roswell City Hall in front of an overflowing audience. 

Rep. Rich McCormick's town hall in Roswell

The backstory:

Frustration mounted as attendees voiced their concerns over significant federal budget cuts and mass layoffs initiated by the Trump administration and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The cuts have particularly affected the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, where layoffs have impacted the nation's bird-flu response team.

Despite the backlash, McCormick has remained a staunch supporter of President Trump's policies. He has consistently defended the administration's aggressive executive orders and budget cuts, emphasizing the need for efficiency and reduced government spending. However, his unwavering support has led to growing dissatisfaction among his constituents, as evidenced by the heated exchanges during his town hall meetings.

Rep. McCormick's reception in Roswell

What they're saying:

The crowd, at times rambunctious and adversarial, grilled the congressman on the changes being made by the Trump administration and DOGE. At several points, the meeting devolved into a call for order. 

"You can disagree with me all you want, but I'm just telling you the way it is, and I get that you don't agree with me and you think I'm not telling the truth, but that's... that's... unless they're lying to me, and you can say they are so," McCormick said. "I'll pause whenever you want, and you can go and yell all you want, but I can't understand 10 people, let alone 100 people at once."

McCormick on school lunches

What they're saying:

"Congressman, Elon was going to be the main topic tonight, and he's going to continue to be the main topic tonight because we are all freaking pissed off about this. You're going to hear it, and feel it," a woman from Cumming told McCormick.

McCormick addressed a recent CNN interview where he talked about children earning money for school lunches instead of the government subsidizing them. "I think that a teenager sitting home during high school who can go to work and has the ability and the opportunity should. That's just me; we can disagree. That's my opinion. To complete your question, no, I don't think that we should cut school lunches for needy kids."

McCormick on insurance

What they're saying:

On insurance, McCormick said changes are needed. "I want to get rid of the egregious behavior by insurance companies who are making denials of pre-approval processes, making denials and payments, making sure that we have enough money in the system to pay for those kinds of medications that you should have."

McCormick on immigration

What they're saying:

A high school senior asked the congressman if he thinks it is unfair for someone who legally has been in the country for 17 years and meets the academic requirements, for them not to be eligible for the HOPE Scholarship. "I think we all agree, regardless of your partisanship, we have a broken immigration system," he responded, adding that his HR 6542 would help solve many of the problems, adding that it is something he is very "bullish" about.

McCormick on CDC cuts

What they're saying:

One man brought up how DOGE has seemingly "taken a chainsaw" to institutions like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, particularly the layoff of scientists working on the avian flu who were fired and had to be rehired. He called the efforts by the Trump administration "radical and extremist and sloppy."

"They have about what, 13,000 employees, 13,000 employees at the CDC, in the last couple of years those probationary people, which is about 10% of their employee base, which is about 1,300 people, which you're referring to, a lot of the work they do is duplicitous with AI," McCormick said, adding, "They can do more with less."

However, this explanation did not satisfy the crowd, leading to boos and further discontent. The man later clarified that he was not opposed to cuts but rather likened the want for the government to use a scalpel instead of a chainsaw. "I personally think we have to go more slowly, but I'm not the president," McCormick responded.

McCormick on DOGE

What they're saying:

In response to another question about DOGE, McCormick reiterated the separation of powers. "I don't like presidential power to be the overriding authority. That's just me, but I don't like it when it's Democrats or Republicans, but I'm being consistent at least," he said.

"By the way, thank you for all the easy softball questions tonight," McCormick told the crowd at one point, promising to be honest. "And by the way, I’m here. I’m here."

McCormick on Donald Trump

What they're saying:

"While arguing the need for the American Revolution, Patrick Henry said, ‘A king is a tyrant. If a wrong step is made now, the republic will be lost forever, and tyranny will rise.’ I believe you know the rest of his speech, something about ‘give me liberty.’ It's clear from all the writings of our founding fathers that our great republic was never meant to be ruled by a dictator nor a king," she said, being met with applause.

"So, you can imagine my shock and pure horror when I woke up to find that our president had given himself unprecedented executive powers and then within a few days named himself King to his followers' tyranny," she continued. The moderator interrupted her at this point, asking if she had a question.

"Tyranny is rising in the White House, and a man has declared himself our King, so I would like to know, rather, the people would like to know what you, congressman, and your fellow congressmen are going to do to rein in the megalomaniac in the White House," she concluded. Her question was met with more applause and shows of support.

"I’m not going to give you my best Foghorn Leghorn response," McCormick responded. "Tyranny, when you talk about presidential power, I remember having the same discussion with Republicans when Biden was elected." He then appeared to try to compare the crowd to those who were at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, telling them that they were just as loud. Ultimately, he responded amid the crowd interrupting. "I do not want to see any president become too powerful," he said.

Who is Rep. Rich McCromick

Dig deeper:

Rep. Rich McCormick is a member of the United States House of Representatives. He represents Georgia's 6th congressional district. McCormick is a member of the Republican Party and was elected to Congress in the 2022 midterm elections. Before his political career, he served as an emergency medicine physician and a Marine Corps pilot. His background in medicine and military service has been a significant part of his political profile. McCormick handily won re-election in 2022, securing 64.9% of the vote in a state that Trump flipped after narrowly losing the battleground to Joe Biden in 2020.

McCormick has sponsored several notable pieces of legislation this session, including the PROTECTS Act of 2025, which aims to prohibit federal funds from being used to provide gender transition procedures to minors; HR 873, which amends title 10 of the United States Code to adjust the payment rates for services provided under the TRICARE program based on the location where such services are rendered, and HR 874, which seeks to amend title 38 of the United States Code to modify the payment rates for services under the Department of Veterans Affairs' Community Care Program. He also co-sponsored both the FairTax Act of 2025 and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2025.

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