Rep. Ritchie Torres, a U.S. Congress member representing New York’s 15th district since 2021, recently shared his thoughts on several pressing issues through a series of tweets. Torres, who succeeded José E. Serrano in Congress, has been vocal about topics impacting his constituency and beyond.
On May 13, 2025, Torres released an audio update titled the “Bronx Brief,” which he referred to as “Ritchie’s Rundown.” In this update, he addressed concerns over former President Donald Trump’s alleged $400 million property acquisition from Qatar. Torres described it as a “gift from Qatar, a state sponsor of terror.” The full details can be accessed here.
The following day, May 14, 2025, Torres emphasized the importance of Medicaid to his congressional district in the Bronx. He criticized Republican efforts to undermine Medicaid by stating: “There is no congressional district in America that has a greater stake in Medicaid than my congressional district in the Bronx. The Republican assault on Medicaid is an assault on the Bronx. We cannot let it stand.”
Later that day, Torres expressed concerns regarding federal housing budget cuts proposed by Donald Trump. He pointed out that housing constitutes only “1% of the overall federal budget” and opposed Trump’s intention to reduce this allocation further: “Housing is a mere 1% of the overall federal budget and Donald Trump wants to take that meager 1% and cut it in half.” While supporting housing innovation, Torres stressed that investment is crucial for addressing America’s affordability crisis.
Ritchie Torres was born in The Bronx in 1988 and continues to reside there at age 35.
