Trump: Time To Let Obamacare Fail, Elect More Republicans In 2018

President Donald Trump points to a member of the audience before being introduced during a "Made in America," product showcase featuring items created in each of the U.S. 50 states, at the White House, Monday, July 17, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump points to a member of the audience before being introduced during a "Made in America," product showcase featuring items created in each of the U.S. 50 states, at the White House, Monday, July 1... President Donald Trump points to a member of the audience before being introduced during a "Made in America," product showcase featuring items created in each of the U.S. 50 states, at the White House, Monday, July 17, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Speaking to reporters at the White House Tuesday, President Donald Trump said he was “very disappointed” that Senate Republicans’ Obamacare repeal effort died before it had a chance to go to the floor for debate.

Now, the President, suggested, the best option may be to “let Obamacare fail.”

“It will be a lot easier and I think we’re probably in that position where we’ll just let Obamacare fail. We’re not going to own it. I’m not going to own it. I can tell you Republicans are not going to own it,” Trump said. “We’ll let Obamacare fail and then Democrats will come to us and say ‘How do we fix it?’”

After hearing “repeal and replace” for so many years, Trump reiterated how “disappointed” he is with Republicans’ failure to repeal the health care law, saying he’s been “sitting in the Oval Office right next door, pen in hand, waiting to sign something. … And eventually we’re going to get something done, and it’s going to be very good.”

Trump offered no details on what that “something” might be.

The President said he wouldn’t call the Republicans who announced they wouldn’t support the repeal bill disloyal, but also suggested the U.S. may need to elect more Republicans in 2018 because the numbers were so close on the votes needed for the GOP bill.

“The way I look at it is, in ’18 we’re going to have to get more people elected. We have to go out and we have to get more people elected that are Republican. And we have to probably pull in those people, those few people that voted against it. I don’t know. They’re going to have to explain why they did and I’m sure they have very fine reasons, but we have to get more Republicans elected because we have to get it done,” he said.

Latest Livewire
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: