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Trump: "Let Obamacare fail... I'm not going to own it."

Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

In an "impromptu" White House Pool spray during President Trump's lunch with Vice President Pence, National Security Advisor McMaster, Colonel Wawro and four Afghanistan veterans, Trump drove home how "disappointed" he is about health care.

  • "Let Obamacare fail, it will be a lot easier. And I think we're probably in that position where we'll just let Obamacare fail. We're not going to own it. I'm not going to own it. I can tell you the Republicans are not going to own it. We'll let Obamacare fail and then the Democrats are going to come to us."
  • Why it matters: Trump is acknowledging defeat and now, rather than support Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's push to repeal with out a replacement bill, he's decided to let Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act remain the law of the land.
  • Moments ago: McConnell's straight repeal plan collapses with 3 "no votes."
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Other notable quotes:

  • Trump said he was "surprised" when Senators Moran and Lee came out as "No's" last night. "We thought they were in fairly good shape."
  • "For 7 years I've been hearing repeal and replace... and when we finally get a chance to repeal and replace, we can't."
  • "We are winning the war on the border, we're decimating ISIS... we've had a lot of victories but we haven't had a victory on health care. I'm very disappointed."
  • Once the Affordable Care Act fails, then everyone needs to "come together and fix it," said Trump.
  • "[Democrats] have no ideas. They have no thought process. All they want to do is obstruct government and obstruct period."
  • "Obamacare isn't failing, it's failed. It's gone."
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