How 'Trumpcare' went up in flames — and why it should worry the GOP about the future

pulse

March 25, 2017 3:53 PM

Just 64 days into Trump's presidency, the first major legislative item on the Republican agenda was dead.

President Donald Trump

Paul Ryan strode to the lectern, looking solemn. It was hard to imagine in November, after Donald Trump shocked the world to win the presidency and Republicans gained control of the legislature and the White House.

"Obamacare is the law of the land. It will remain the law of the land until it is replaced," Ryan said. "We will be living with Obamacare for the foreseeable future."

Just 64 days into his presidency, the first major legislative item on the Republican agenda was dead.

Ryan called Trump around 3 p.m. Friday to say what Republican leaders knew all week — they didn't have the votes to pass the American Health Care Act. Trump told him to pull the bill.

Trump, who initially left the sales pitch to GOP leaders, ended up mounting a furious push in the last few days, meeting with members of the Freedom Caucus a handful of times in the days leading up to the planned vote.

But even at large rallies in Tennessee and Kentucky, where Trump was supposed to drum up support for the healthcare bill, he instead focused on other issues for the bulk of his speech. In fact, in Kentucky, Trump said that the bill has to pass "in some form" so that Republicans could "move on" to other issues like tax reform.

Conservative media latched on to the seeming lack of support from Trump, as well, with conservative outlets like Breitbart opting to call the bill "Ryancare" and pin its shortcomings on the House speaker rather than the president.

Ultimately, Trump decided Thursday night to issue an ultimatum to wavering House Republicans: Pass this bill, or Obamacare stays. It ended up staying, for now.

"The differences between dealmaking in New York City and dealmaking in Washington, DC, have never been more apparent; Trump is like a fish out of water," said Greg Valliere, the chief global strategist at Horizon Investments. "He will have to change the subject, quickly, but soon he will face bruising budget battles."

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