President Donald Trump blindsided Democrats on Friday with a bold move in the ongoing government shutdown fight, flipping the script on the party that had tried to corner Republicans.
What began as a push by Senate Democrats to tie government funding to an extension of Obamacare subsidies quickly turned into a negotiation where Trump clearly has the upper hand.
In a fiery post on Truth Social, Trump outlined a new plan to redirect hundreds of billions in Obamacare subsidy payments away from insurance companies and send the money directly to the American people.
“I am recommending to Senate Republicans that the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars currently being sent to money sucking Insurance Companies in order to save the bad Healthcare provided by ObamaCare, BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE THEIR OWN, MUCH BETTER, HEALTHCARE, and have money left over,” Trump wrote.
“In other words, take from the BIG, BAD Insurance Companies, give it to the people, and terminate, per Dollar spent, the worst Healthcare anywhere in the World, ObamaCare. Unrelated, we must still terminate the Filibuster!” he added.
The Democrats were caught completely off guard. Just a day earlier, they had been pushing for a one-year extension of ACA subsidies as part of a deal to reopen the government, per Trending Politics.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) tried to frame the proposal as “a reasonable offer that reopens the government, deals with health care affordability and begins a process of negotiating reforms,” but Republicans rejected it outright.
Majority Whip John Thune slammed the idea, saying, “The Obamacare extension is the negotiation.”
Conservative commentators immediately praised Trump’s proposal as a stroke of political genius, pointing out that the former president had now positioned himself as the champion of direct-to-consumer healthcare freedom.
Analysts highlighted how this move pits “healthcare for the people” directly against Democrats’ defense of “big insurance.”
Within minutes of Trump’s Truth Social post, Florida Sen. Rick Scott (R) jumped in, announcing he was drafting legislation to make the plan a reality.
“Totally agree, @POTUS! I’m writing the bill right now,” Scott said. “We must stop taxpayer money from going to insurance companies and instead give it directly to Americans in HSA-style accounts and let them buy the health care they want. This will increase competition & drive down costs.”
Trump’s move is already sending shockwaves through the political landscape.
Democrats, who thought they controlled the narrative by tying the shutdown to healthcare subsidies, now find themselves reacting to a bold proposal that could reshape the conversation entirely.
The plan has energized the Republican base, portraying Trump as taking action to put Americans first while dismantling what he calls “the worst healthcare anywhere in the world.”
This comes as the shutdown battle drags on, threatening the reopening of government and fueling frustration among voters.
By turning the tables, Trump has shifted the conversation from defending insurance companies to empowering individuals, creating a stark contrast with the Democrats’ approach.
