President Donald Trump appeared to bury the prospect of an Obamacare repeal and replace plan on Friday morning in a series of tweets directed at congressional Republicans.
Trump told Republicans that he has heard about "repeal and replace" for seven years without results and they should move on. He offered a curt "sorry" for his judgment before he said that to further pursue legislation in the face of Democratic opposition would amount to a "death wish."
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/906135414498631680
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/906136682952568832
Trump has been feuding with fellow Republicans following the party's failure to pass major legislation during his presidency. Most recently, Trump went against the wishes of Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R., Wis.), and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) on the issue of raising the debt ceiling. Trump caused concern among Republicans when he made a deal with Democrats to raise the debt ceiling on a short-term basis—three months versus the six or even 18 months floated by Republican leadership.
Trump concluded his Twitter message to Republicans on Friday saying they need to "hurry!" and pivot to tax reform legislation.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/906139352580972544
When Republicans' efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare failed in July, Trump also blasted their inability to get a bill to his desk. He took to Twitter to say Republicans should "let Obamacare implode."
At the time, health care reform legislation passed the House but never passed the Senate.
"Three Republicans and 48 Democrats let the American people down," Trump wrote on July 28. "As I said from the beginning, let ObamaCare implode, then deal. Watch!"
Democrats have called Trump's strategy to let Obamacare implode a way to "sabotage" the health care system. The president has also drawn widespread criticism for what some call a lack of leadership on the issue.
In February, Trump expressed surprise that health care was such a "complicated" issue, and then ceded leadership on the issue to congressional Republicans.
"I have to tell you, it’s an unbelievably complex subject," Trump said. "Nobody knew that health care could be so complicated."