Trump: No rush on Obamacare repeal vote

President Donald Trump distanced himself Friday from the White House’s push to advance legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare next week.

Trump told reporters there’s “no particular rush” on making progress on health care or tax reform next week, when lawmakers return from a two-week Easter recess facing a deadline to fund the government as the Trump administration nears its 100th day.


“It’s gonna be great. It’ll happen,” Trump told reporters Friday, adding that “we’ll see what happens” when asked if he could score wins on health care and tax reform next week.

“No particular rush, but we’ll see what happens,” Trump said. “But health care is coming along well. Government is coming along really well. Lot of good things are happening.”

Trump’s remarks compounded the administration’s mixed messaging Friday. While Trump highlighted next Wednesday as the day his administration will unveil its tax reform plan, a White House official expressed skepticism, telling POLITICO it could happen next week — “or maybe not.”

“No guarantees,” the official added.

The White House this week also began pushing Republican congressional leaders for a floor vote on legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare next week, as the administration races against the clock for a major legislative achievement ahead of the 100-day mark.

But Trump said Friday that a health care vote doesn’t have to come before he hits the 100-day milestone, which he tweeted Friday morning is a “ridiculous standard” that the “media will kill” regardless of how much he accomplishes. He seemed to further tamp down the emphasis of his first 100 days during his brief exchange with reporters Friday afternoon.

“Doesn’t matter if it’s next week,” he said of the health care vote. “Next week doesn’t matter.”

Josh Dawsey contributed to this report.