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Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images
President Donald Trump on Monday, July 17, 2017.
President Donald Trump took a shot at Congress on Tuesday morning after the latest Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act collapsed amid party divisions.
“We were let down by all of the Democrats and a few Republicans,” Trump tweeted. “Most Republicans were loyal, terrific & worked really hard. We will return!”
Trump: We were let down by all of the Democrats and a few Republicans. Most Republicans were loyal, terrific & worked really hard. We will return!
On Monday, two more Republican senators said they would oppose the GOP’s health-care overhaul bill — enough to doom its passage barring changes. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., then called for a vote to repeal Obamacare without an immediate replacement.
In 2015 Congress passed the bill that McConnell wants to vote on now, but President Barack Obama vetoed it. It builds in a two-year transition period, and the GOP would likely look to pass a replacement in that time.
The GOP, which controls 52 Senate seats, could only afford to lose two votes within its party amid united Democratic opposition to the plan.
Trump has lobbied for Congress to pass an Obamacare replacement that he can sign. But he has at times contradicted himself on what he wants and seemed disengaged from the policy specifics.
In a separate tweet Tuesday, Trump added, “as I have always said, let Obamacare fail and then come together and do a great healthcare plan.”
Trump: As I have always said, let ObamaCare fail and then come together and do a great healthcare plan. Stay tuned!
Trump struck a different tune on what he wanted only hours earlier. In a Monday night tweet, he called on lawmakers to “REPEAL failing Obamacare now” then work on a new replacement plan.
Trump: Republicans should just REPEAL failing ObamaCare now & work on a new Healthcare Plan that will start from a clean slate. Dems will join in!
On the campaign trail, Trump repeatedly said he wanted to repeal Obamacare as soon as he took office.
Trump has previously floated letting Obamacare sputter to hurt Democrats, but said in the past that he decided against it.
