President Trump predicted Friday that pressure on Democrats will compel them to work with Republicans to pass a healthcare reform package after Obamacare collapses.
“When it explodes, they come to us and we make one beautiful deal,” Trump told the Washington Post’s Robert Costa in a phone interview shortly after House leadership pulled the American Health Care Act in the face of conservative opposition.
Trump said he believed Republicans came within “five to 12 votes” of passing the AHCA. They needed 216 votes to send the legislation to the Senate.
The failure of the bill on Friday after weeks of intense negotiations marked a major setback for Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan, both of whom lobbied aggressively to shepherded the bill through the House.
“I don’t blame Paul,” Trump said of the legislation’s failure.
Ryan called the AHCA’s death “disappointing” in a press conference held shortly after a scheduled vote on the AHCA was canceled.
