During his first run for the presidency back in 2016, Donald Trump campaigned on the notion that he would “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act — otherwise known as Obamacare. As we’re all well aware, that campaign promise (along with so, so many others) never came to fruition throughout Trump’s tumultuous four-year term in office.
According to a recent tell-all book, Trump’s desperation got pretty intense — to the point that he “exploded” in anger at one now-former GOP lawmaker when the House rep. pushed back on a Trump-backed bill that would have effectively cut a staggering $800 billion from Medicaid in the country.
Business Insider reported on an excerpt from a book by former Texas Republican House Rep. Will Hurd who allegedly found himself on the receiving end of Trump’s hissy fit over his failed efforts to give Obamacare the boot.
Hurd skipped running for re-election and instead penned a tell-all book, American Reboot, that he has promoted across cable shows. Insider reports that Hurd exposed a conversation he had with the then-president where he shared his concerns with Trump’s regarding the GOP’s American Health Care Act that would serve as the Obamacare replacement, only for Donald Trump to fly off the handle.
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Hurd allegedly tried to explain to Trump that in supporting his repeal and replace bill, Hurd would only hurt his own constituents.
“Trump — who made the repeal and replacement of Obamacare a centerpiece of his 2016 presidential campaign — was not as understanding as [former Vice President Mike] Pence in recognizing the dynamics of his district, according to Hurd,” the report reads.
“Look … we’ve been talking about healthcare for a long time,” Trump allegedly said. “We’re poised for a big win here. Big win. We’d really love your support.”
The book says that Hurd explained to Trump that he couldn’t support the bill in its current state, without some serious changes, and apparently that’s all it took to send the then-president into an angry tailspin.
“That’s what’s wrong with you Republicans,” Hurd claims Trump exploded. “You’ve been talking about this for four years, and we have a chance to do it and you’re not going to do it.”
Trump apparently insisted that he had won Hurd’s district, but the GOP lawmaker pushed back and corrected the president, explaining that Trump actually lost the area by 3 points.
“Well, I did better than anybody thought I was gonna do in your district,” Hurd says Donald fired back.
You can read the full report on the excerpt from Business Insider here.
Featured image via Political Tribune gallery
