Trump Urges GOP to Send Obamacare’s Funds Directly to Americans/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump is urging Senate Republicans to dismantle Obamacare and redirect federal funds away from insurers and directly to Americans. In a Truth Social post, he called the Affordable Care Act “the worst healthcare anywhere in the world.” The proposal comes amid a prolonged government shutdown and GOP infighting over healthcare spending.
Trump’s Obamacare Plan Quick Looks
- Trump proposes ending Obamacare subsidies, sending funds directly to individuals.
- Calls ACA “worst healthcare in the world”, reigniting repeal push.
- Wants funds taken from “money-sucking” insurers, used for private healthcare purchases.
- Shutdown deadlock continues, with healthcare a central sticking point.
- Enhanced ACA subsidies set to expire by year’s end, unless Congress acts.
- Speaker Mike Johnson won’t commit to subsidy extension vote.
- Senate GOP leadership explores deal, possibly tying funding to future ACA vote.
- Moderate Republicans push for 1-year extension, urging more time to negotiate.
- Trump also calls to end Senate filibuster, to bypass Democratic resistance.
- Obama-era law defended by Democrats, credited with expanding access and affordability.
Deep Look
Trump Calls for Obamacare Repeal, Proposes Direct Payments to Americans Instead of Insurance Subsidies
As the government shutdown enters its sixth week, President Donald Trump is reigniting his campaign against the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as Obamacare, and calling on Senate Republicans to redirect federal health care spending directly to individual Americans.
In a Truth Social post on Saturday morning, Trump labeled Obamacare “the worst Healthcare anywhere in the world,” and claimed that insurer subsidies under the ACA enrich private companies at taxpayers’ expense.
“I am recommending to Senate Republicans that the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars currently being sent to money sucking Insurance Companies in order to save the bad Healthcare provided by ObamaCare, BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE,” Trump wrote. He argued this would allow Americans to buy “MUCH BETTER” healthcare coverage—and still have money left over.
Reviving a Familiar Fight
Trump’s latest remarks mark a renewed effort to repeal or gut the Affordable Care Act, a signature achievement of former President Barack Obama. Despite multiple failed attempts to dismantle the law during his first term, Trump and GOP allies continue to criticize it as overly expensive and ineffective.
“In other words,” Trump wrote, “take from the BIG, BAD Insurance Companies, give it to the people, and terminate, per Dollar spent, the worst Healthcare anywhere in the World, ObamaCare.”
The push comes as the federal government remains in a funding stalemate, with enhanced ACA subsidies and other health-care-related items at the center of the gridlock.
Shutdown, Subsidies, and Senate Stalemate
Congress has yet to reach an agreement on government funding, and one of the key friction points is whether to extend the enhanced Obamacare subsidies that were introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. These subsidies, which help millions of Americans afford health coverage, are set to expire at the end of the year unless Congress takes action.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has refused to commit to bringing a vote on the extension to the floor, despite pressure from Democrats and some centrist Republicans.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has suggested a possible compromise: ending the shutdown in exchange for a future vote on ACA subsidy extensions. However, Trump’s push to reroute funding away from insurers and directly to citizens complicates negotiations.
GOP Divided on ACA Path Forward
Within the Republican ranks, opinions are split. While hardline conservatives back Trump’s call to eliminate the ACA altogether, moderates in swing districts are advocating for a temporary extension of the enhanced subsidies.
These lawmakers argue that rolling back subsidies now could lead to steep insurance premium hikes for middle- and working-class Americans ahead of the 2026 election cycle.
Some Republicans have floated the idea of crafting a new health care framework that lowers costs without relying on the ACA infrastructure, but no viable alternative has yet emerged.
Trump Calls to End the Filibuster
Trump also revived his call to eliminate the Senate filibuster — the procedural rule requiring 60 votes to pass most legislation — to prevent Democrats from blocking conservative reforms. “Unrelated, we must still terminate the Filibuster!” he wrote.
While this proposal has gained traction among some Republicans, Senate GOP leadership has so far resisted major changes to the chamber’s rules.
Democrats Push Back
Democrats have forcefully defended the ACA, pointing to studies and data showing that the law expanded access to health insurance and brought down the number of uninsured Americans to historic lows.
They argue that eliminating the law or cutting subsidies would reverse those gains, increase costs, and destabilize the private insurance market.
As both sides dig in, Americans are left in limbo, with the future of their healthcare coverage tied to partisan brinkmanship and the uncertain fate of the shutdown negotiations.
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