"Republicans need to open their eyes: Our voters support social insurance programs," Hawley wrote. "More than that, our voters depend on those programs."
Following the passage of the budget reconciliation bill in the House, Hawley said Republicans "ought to just do what the president says" and focus on cutting "waste, fraud, and abuse" instead of Medicaid.
Hawley told reporters he raised the issue with Trump, who reiterated his desire that Congress leave Medicaid alone.
"His exact words were 'Don't touch it, Josh.' I said 'Hey, we're on the same page,'" Hawley said, according to The Hill.
He also expressed concern about the impact the Medicaid provisions contained in the House bill would have on rural hospitals, especially the freeze on provider taxes.