In an unusual break from party lines, Rep. Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, is rallying bipartisan support to transform President Donald Trump’s executive order on prescription drug prices into law.
Despite cross-party differences, Khanna looks to solidify this policy to combat price-gouging by pharmaceutical companies, Fox News reported.
Known for his strong opposition to Donald Trump’s other policies like tariffs and deportations, Rep. Ro Khanna’s support highlights his focus on the greater good over party politics.
President Trump had initiated an order that empowers cabinet secretaries to tackle excessive pricing in the pharmaceutical sector. Rep. Khanna believes Congressional action is crucial to making these measures effective and permanent.
“President Trump’s executive order says that Americans should pay the least price. We should not pay any more than people are paying in countries overseas. Then, it gives the Cabinet secretaries the ability to go after Big Pharma companies that are price-gouging. Now, he tried something similar in his previous administration. Big Pharma sued him, it got tied up in courts, nothing happened. That's why we need Congress to act. I have introduced something that codifies President Trump's language, and I'm hoping we get a Republican co-sponsor,” Khanna told Fox News Digital.
This push comes against a backdrop where previous cooperative ventures between Democrats and the Trump administration had led to intra-party criticism. Democratic Rep. Gretchen Whitmer, speculated to harbor presidential aspirations, faced backlash for her collaborations with Trump.
In a broader effort that suggestive of potential presidential aspirations for 2028, Rep. Khanna has been traveling across the United States promoting his legislative initiatives.
His actions indicate a strategy focused not just on immediate political gains but on long-term national benefits.
Khanna's dedication to the issue of drug pricing isn't new. He has previously partnered with Senator Bernie Sanders on similar legislation. Such efforts are part of a larger initiative to ensure that federal policies effectively protect consumers from financial exploitation by powerful pharmaceutical entities.
The measure is an embodiment of rare bipartisan agreement within an often-divisive political landscape. “If Donald Trump has a good idea that’s going to help the American people, we should work with him. If we have a philosophical disagreement, we shouldn't. But the barometer for me, the test case is, is this helping people? Is this something that I think is going to help this country? Where I have philosophical disagreements, I speak up. But when I think that it is good legislation, I am willing to support him. And I don't care, like some people, if he gets a political win. So much of politics is, 'Oh, we don't want to give the other side a political win.' For all I care, he can have a great political win if the American public gets lower drug prices,” expressed Khanna when discussing his approach to potential collaborations with President Trump.
Khanna's outspoken nature surfaced again regarding President Joe Biden's 2024 campaign, for which he served as a surrogate. In a 2025 interview, he expressed that Biden should not have run, advocating for transparency and accountability within the Democratic Party following the election.
Ro Khanna emphasized that the commitment to the American people must transcend personal or party benefits, stating, “Are you on the side of the people, or are you on the side of the $16 billion in Big Pharma lobbyist money that was spent last year? My legislation, there's no trick to it. It is President Trump’s idea, President Trump’s executive order, President Trump’s language into law. Every Republican should support this, and every Democrat should.”
In conclusion, Rep. Ro Khanna's strong advocacy for codifying President Trump’s executive order into law signifies a notable shift toward cross-party cooperation to achieve a common good. Through extensive travels and speeches, Khanna is not only stumping for current legislative changes but potentially laying groundwork for future political endeavors, all while challenging the norms of his own party’s strategies and alignments.
