President Donald Trump said the 51 senators who voted against the "skinny" Obamacare repeal had "let the American people down" in a tweet sent at 2:25 a.m. Friday morning.
Three Republicans and all 48 Democrats and Independents voted down the stripped-down repeal measure of Obamacare that some Republican senators did not even want to become law, but rather wanted to continue the legislative process to improve the bill. The unusual scene played out around 1:30 a.m. on Capitol Hill.
Trump had called via Twitter over recent weeks for Republicans to "step up to the plate" and keep their promise to repeal Obamacare, writing repeatedly that it was up to them to get it done.
After another setback to this agenda Friday, Trump wrote, "3 Republicans and 48 Democrats let the American people down. As I said from the beginning, let ObamaCare implode, then deal. Watch!"
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/890820505330212864
Republicans Sens. John McCain (Ariz.), Susan Collins (Maine), and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) were the three GOP members to vote against. McCain's "no" vote created a stir in the gallery and came after personal lobbying by Trump and Vice President Mike Pence to vote "yes" on the repeal.
Gasps and applause from the Senate floor as McCain votes no on 'skinny' Obamacare repeal. https://t.co/c8WxE0BwjS pic.twitter.com/wWPbBQNGiE
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) July 28, 2017
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) said afterward the failed health care vote was "clearly a disappointing moment."