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Trump, Days After Accusations Against Obama, Keeps a Low Profile Trump Keeps Low Profile After Praising Health Care Overhaul
(about 9 hours later)
WASHINGTON — President Trump was intent on keeping a conspicuously low profile on Friday — after his Twitter attack last weekend on President Barack Obama — and his staff loudly enforced the president’s newfound silent treatment of the news media. WASHINGTON — President Trump praised House Republican leaders on Friday for their plan to overhaul the Affordable Care Act, but otherwise kept a conspicuously low profile, with a newfound silent treatment of the news media.
Mr. Trump has been noticeably less accessible since unleashing a series of posts last weekend accusing Mr. Obama of bugging Trump Tower during the campaign, for the first time abandoning his near-daily ritual of chatting up reporters before meetings and other events at the White House. The president’s meeting with House leaders came the day after Anthem, one of the nation’s largest health insurers, offered strong support for the Republican plan, which has been denounced by other providers and which conservatives have vowed to reject.
During a meeting on the repealing of the Affordable Care Act with House Republican leaders, Mr. Trump briefly spoke with reporters in the Roosevelt Room but did not answer questions. Mr. Trump has been noticeably less accessible since unleashing a series of Twitter posts last weekend accusing former President Barack Obama of bugging Trump Tower during the campaign. He briefly spoke with reporters in the Roosevelt Room during the meeting with Republican leaders but did not answer questions.
After he was done, a member of his personal security detail began yelling for the small pool of print and broadcast reporters to clear out of the room quickly, according to a pool report, echoing the sometimes heavy-handed approach of Mr. Trump’s team during his campaign rallies.After he was done, a member of his personal security detail began yelling for the small pool of print and broadcast reporters to clear out of the room quickly, according to a pool report, echoing the sometimes heavy-handed approach of Mr. Trump’s team during his campaign rallies.
Mr. Trump thanked the gathering of committee chairmen for their “devotion and leadership,” which he said “has been amazing.” Mr. Trump thanked the gathering of committee chairmen for their “diligent work to advance the Obamacare repeal and replacement.”
He also applauded their “diligent work to advance the Obamacare repeal and replacement.” “That’s what people want: They want repeal and replace,” he said.
“That’s what people want: They want repeal and replace,” he added. The president, according to the pool report, “did not seem certain that the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday had approved the House health overhaul plan” but “verified it with Rep. Greg Walden,” an Oregon Republican and chairman of the committee.
The president, according to the pool report, “did not seem certain that the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday had approved the House health overhaul plan” but “verified it with Rep. Greg Walden,” an Oregon Republican and chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee.
“We all remember, ‘You can keep your doctor, you can keep your plan.’ I know, Greg, you’ve never heard that, right?” Mr. Trump said. “It was said many, many times, and it turned out to be not true. This is the time we’re going to get it done.”“We all remember, ‘You can keep your doctor, you can keep your plan.’ I know, Greg, you’ve never heard that, right?” Mr. Trump said. “It was said many, many times, and it turned out to be not true. This is the time we’re going to get it done.”
“You have tremendous spirit,” Mr. Trump added. “I think it’s just something that’s going to happen very shortly.” White House officials have described the Republican bill as a work in progress that is likely to undergo significant change. Earlier this week, it cleared the Ways and Means and the Energy and Commerce committees after marathon sessions to review it. While it still faces potential opposition from the House’s conservative Freedom Caucus, it is expected to pass the Budget Committee soon, followed by the Rules Committee, and then be voted on by the House at large in the next two weeks.
Also in attendance were the White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus; Vice President Mike Pence; Representative Diane Black, Republican of Tennessee, the Budget Committee chairwoman; Representative Kevin Brady, Republican of Texas, the Ways and Means Committee chairman; and several other key Republicans. On Thursday, Anthem chief executive Joseph R. Swedish praised the bill as addressing “the challenges immediately facing the individual market.” He said the proposed legislation “will ensure more affordable health plan choices for consumers in the short term.”
On Thursday, the Republican bill — which White House officials have described as a “work in progress” that is likely to undergo significant change — cleared the Ways and Means and the Energy and Commerce Committees after nightlong sessions to review and amend the proposal earlier in the week. Mr. Swedish, who has previously warned lawmakers that Anthem will exit some or all of the markets where it offers coverage under the law if significant changes are not made, also said “the time to act is now,” because insurers need to set rates beginning next month and decide which, if any, markets they will continue to offer coverage in.
The measure, which faces potential opposition from at least three Senate Republicans and the House’s conservative Freedom Caucus, is expected to pass the Budget Committee soon and then be voted on by the House at large in the next two weeks. But he was less clear about Anthem’s support for all of the provisions in the plan. “We are thoroughly reviewing and evaluating the legislation further to better understand the changes to both the individual market and the Medicaid program,” he said.
A major sticking point among members of Congress is when to phase out the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. The bill calls for the expansion to be rolled back in 2020, but some conservatives are demanding it be rolled back in 2018. The House majority leader, Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, said on Friday that it would be “very difficult” to speed up the process.
The meeting at the White House came as the president’s staff was celebrating the federal jobs report released on Friday, which covered Mr. Trump’s first full month in office. In February, the economy added a better-than-expected 235,000 jobs, which prompted a renewed round of jubilant posts on Twitter by some on the president’s team.The meeting at the White House came as the president’s staff was celebrating the federal jobs report released on Friday, which covered Mr. Trump’s first full month in office. In February, the economy added a better-than-expected 235,000 jobs, which prompted a renewed round of jubilant posts on Twitter by some on the president’s team.
Dan Scavino Jr., director of the White House social media operation, posted “235K” on Twitter with an American flag.Dan Scavino Jr., director of the White House social media operation, posted “235K” on Twitter with an American flag.
The White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, posted, “Great news for American workers.”The White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, posted, “Great news for American workers.”
During Mr. Obama’s tenure, his aides were chastened by the volatility of the jobs reports during the 2009 recession and the grinding recovery, and so were reluctant to celebrate for fear of alienating the public, which was still dealing with stagnant wages and an uncertain future. During Mr. Obama’s tenure, his aides were chastened by the volatility of the jobs reports during the 2009 recession and the grinding recovery. They were reluctant to celebrate improved reports for fear of alienating the public, which was still dealing with stagnant wages and an uncertain future.
Mr. Trump and his team have been less circumspect. Mr. Trump often questioned the veracity of the Bureau of Labor Statistics report during the 2016 campaign, when job growth often exceeded 200,000 a month, arguing that the statistics were rigged to make Democrats look better. Mr. Trump and his team have been less circumspect. Mr. Trump often questioned the veracity of the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports during the 2016 campaign, when job growth often exceeded 200,000 a month, arguing that the statistics were rigged to make Democrats look better.
Before he was elected, Mr. Trump dismissed the official data as “phony” and “fiction,” while arguing — without evidence — that the unemployment rate was as high as 42 percent.Before he was elected, Mr. Trump dismissed the official data as “phony” and “fiction,” while arguing — without evidence — that the unemployment rate was as high as 42 percent.
There was no hint of that skepticism on Friday morning. At 8:41 a.m., less than an hour after the February numbers posted, Mr. Trump retweeted a Drudge Report headline that read: “GREAT AGAIN +235,000.” There was no hint of that skepticism on Friday morning. At 8:41 a.m., less than an hour after the February numbers were posted, Mr. Trump retweeted a Drudge Report headline that read: “GREAT AGAIN +235,000.”
The posts by Mr. Trump and Mr. Spicer may have violated a federal rule barring executive branch employees from publicly commenting on principal economic indicators for at least one hour after the official release time.The posts by Mr. Trump and Mr. Spicer may have violated a federal rule barring executive branch employees from publicly commenting on principal economic indicators for at least one hour after the official release time.