Congressional Republicans are attempting to pivot away from Obamacare repeal toward tax reform. But they continue to butt heads with a White House that’s unhappy with where they left the health care debate.
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell started the latest spat at a Rotary Club speech Monday evening, where he said President Donald Trump had “excessive expectations about how quickly things happen in the democratic process.”
“Part of the reason I think people feel we’re underperforming is because of too many artificial deadlines unrelated to the complexity of legislating,” McConnell said.
Trump pushed back on Wednesday, pointing out that Republicans had been promising to repeal and replace Obamacare for years.
Senator Mitch McConnell said I had “excessive expectations,” but I don’t think so. After 7 years of hearing Repeal & Replace, why not done?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 9, 2017
For once, Trump’s aides were even less diplomatic than their boss. White House social media director Dan Scavino hit back at McConnell as well.
More excuses. @SenateMajLdr must have needed another 4 years – in addition to the 7 years — to repeal and replace Obamacare….. https://t.co/6FOVBm6BQU
— Dan Scavino Jr. (@DanScavino) August 9, 2017
It’s worth pointing out that McConnell wasn’t trying to blame the White House for slow progress in Congress—just that a Congress should be judged at the end of its tenure rather than the beginning. But it’s enough to show that frustrations are still running high between the president and his party’s legislators.
