Trump humiliated by party rebels
DONALD Trump was humiliated by Republican rebels last night after his party was forced to withdraw healthcare reforms rather than risk almost certain defeat in a Congress vote.
Repealing so-called Obamacare was a central pledge in Mr Trump’s election campaign.
The 11th-hour decision to pull a replacement healthcare bill before the House of Representatives was a momentous defeat for Mr Trump in his first major legislative initiative.
It came even after he had bluntly threatened Republicans that, if they did not back the bill, he would simply keep Barack Obama’s divisive reforms to health insurance.
It sparked speculation that the defeat signals a ‘free-for-all’ in Congress, emboldening Republicans, who control both houses, to oppose other Trump policy pledges.
Opposition could harm his plans for protectionist trade deals and huge infrastructure investment.
The decision to pull the bill was also a major personal slight to a President who has boasted of being a brilliant business negotiator.
Amid reports that Mr Trump made the choice to withdraw, Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan insisted he had persuaded the president to do so. ‘Doing big things is hard,’ he said.
Both conservative and moderate Republicans opposed the replacement bill.
Insiders said Mr Trump had been shaken by the resistance from his own party.