Trump wants party to vote on plan to dismantle Obamacare

DONALD Trump warned Republicans that he is done negotiating and wants a vote on dismantling Obamacare, setting up a high- stakes showdown with members of the President’s own party over his embattled health care plan.

House leaders were yesterday forced to postpone vote on the measure amid a revolt by mainly conservative Republicans, who were complicating the first major legislative test for the new president by signalling it would not pass without key changes. Trump himself set the stage, dispatching an aide to a closed- door meeting of Republicans to demand a vote today.

“The message is tomorrow it’s up, it’s down — we expect it to be up — but it’s done tomorrow,” White House budget director Mick Mulvaney told the politicians, according to congressman Chris Collins.

Mr Mulvaney then delivered Mr Trump’s extraordinary ultimatum.

“If it doesn’t pass, moving beyond health we’re care,” Mr Mulvaney said, phrased by Collins.

“We would be moving on to other parts of his agenda.”

The idea that Mr Trump, who campaigned relentlessly on a pledge to bury Barack Obama’s signature legislative accomplishment, would wash his hands of the fight and let Obamacare stand is a startling para- departure from the party playbook.

But Mr Mulvaney’s blunt take- it- or- leave- it approach could be part of Mr Trump’s hardball strategy to get Republican rebels to fall in line.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, a champion of the legislation dubbed the American Health Care Act, put on a brave face despite the bill’s hanging by a thread.

“We have been promising the American people we will repeal and replace this broken law because it’s collapsing and failing families, and tomorrow we’re proceeding,” he said.

A procedural vote on the bill is set for early this morning, followed by a full floor vote.