Spicer: ‘We Weren’t Asking’ Freedom Caucus For Deal Over ACA Repeal Bill

White House press secretary Sean Spicer speaks to the media during the daily briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, March 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
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White House press secretary Sean Spicer on Thursday said that President Donald Trump was not asking House Freedom Caucus members “for a deal” to win their support for the Republican bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

Trump met with members of the House Freedom Caucus on Thursday. Freedom Caucus Chair Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), whose group has opposed the bill, said after the meeting that there was “no deal” with regard to the legislation.

“Mark Meadows came out of the meeting, he said there’s no deal,” NBC News reporter Hallie Jackson asked Spicer at his daily briefing. “Does the President acknowledge that this bill appears to be in trouble right now?”

“No. It’s not a question of trouble. There’s no deal,” Spicer said. “We weren’t asking for a deal.”

“You’ve said that there is only plan A,” Jackson said. “At this point is there an acknowledgment that perhaps there does need to be a plan B if this vote doesn’t happen tonight?”

“No. Plan A,” Spicer replied.

The White House took a similarly optimistic view in its readout of Trump’s meeting with members of the House Freedom Caucus. It described the meeting as “productive” and “a positive step” toward implementing Trump’s proposed changes to health care legislation.

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