Trump Pledges 5,000 Nurses as CMS Opens $275M Nursing Home Program

President Trump told a rally crowd in Fort Myers, Florida, on Friday that his administration is putting $250 million toward hiring at least 5,000 new nurses for elder care facilities nationwide, according to video of the remarks posted on X by the White House’s Rapid Response 47 account. “Today, I am pleased to announce that the Trump Administration is investing $250 million to hire at least 5,000 new nurses in elder care facilities across America — including right here in the Great State of Florida,” Trump said, according to that post.

The announcement came the same day the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services rolled out a nationwide program called Nurses for Nursing Homes, according to a CMS press release dated Oct. 23. CMS said the effort totals $275 million, with the agency committing $100 million and states committing at least another $175 million.

.@POTUS: Today, I am pleased to announce that the Trump Administration is investing $250 million to hire at least 5,000 new nurses in elder care facilities across America — including right here in the Great State of Florida. pic.twitter.com/mYqMo2r0g8

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 23, 2026

The remarks as posted did not spell out how Trump’s $250 million and 5,000-nurse figures line up with the CMS program, which the agency said is expected to support more than 4,000 nurses and nursing students.

What nurses can get

Under the CMS program, registered nurses and licensed practical or vocational nurses can receive up to $40,000 in student loan repayment and/or a $10,000 stipend in exchange for a three-year commitment to work at a qualifying nursing home, according to the agency’s release. CMS said qualifying facilities are those in rural communities or areas with higher labor shortages, and that all rural nursing facilities are eligible.

To qualify, CMS said nurses must hold an active RN or LPN/LVN license, work at least 30 hours a week at a qualifying nursing home, and either carry eligible student loan debt or have graduated within the past two years to receive a stipend. The agency said applicants generally cannot have worked in a nursing home in the 60 days before applying, with an exception during the first 90 days for nurses who started at an eligible facility between July 28 and Oct. 25, 2026.

CMS said the program is funded through civil monetary penalties that CMS and states collect from nursing homes. Skilled Nursing News, a trade publication that covers the long-term care industry, reported the same funding structure and the 4,000-nurse estimate.

All 50 states on board

CMS said all 50 states and the District of Columbia are participating. The agency said staffing is a key factor in nursing home quality and is built into its Five Star Quality Rating System.

The Fort Myers stop was part of Trump’s push for Florida Republicans, including gubernatorial nominee Byron Donalds, ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Florida has one of the country’s largest senior populations, and Trump tied the nurse announcement directly to the state in his remarks, according to the Rapid Response 47 video.

CMS said it is working with workforce partners who will connect nursing homes and nursing schools with eligible nurses to build a pipeline into long-term care. Nurses can find program details at nursesfornursinghomes.cms.gov, according to the agency.

Sources

• Rapid Response 47 on X: Trump remarks in Fort Myers
• CMS press release: Nurses for Nursing Homes
• Skilled Nursing News: CMS, states launch $275M initiative

Reporting by Daily Beltway.