Trump Celebrates Shutdown Deal, Claims Victory Over “Obamacare for Murderers”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump on Monday celebrated the Senate’s approval of a funding deal expected to end the 40-day government shutdown, telling supporters he had “saved America from the worst healthcare giveaway in American history.”

“Democrats were trying to give Obamacare to criminals—actual bad people, the worst people—and I said no,” Trump told Laura Ingraham. “I said, we’re not doing it. We’re not doing healthcare for murderers. That’s what Democrats wanted, you know? Totally insane.”

The bill, which now heads to the House, funds the government without renewing expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, leaving millions of Americans facing higher premiums or potential coverage loss by year’s end.

Asked what his own healthcare vision might look like, Trump said Americans should “take control and negotiate directly with the insurance companies,” adding that “people are incredible dealmakers when their own life is on the line.”

Democrat Dick Durbin, who voted for the deal, offered a weary defense of the decision. “They weren’t gonna budge on the ACA stuff, what were we supposed to do?” he said, rubbing his eyes. “We got people missing paychecks, missing meals. At some point you stop negotiating and just try to stop the bleeding.”