Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer didn't hold back on Saturday, going after President Donald Trump for what he called a dismissive response to millions of Americans facing skyrocketing health insurance costs. Schumer's take? "Just pathetic."
Trump's "Sycophants" Comment Sparks Backlash
Writing on X, Schumer pointed out that Trump apparently told 24 million Americans worried about how they'll cover their exploding premiums, including many who voted for him, that they're just "Democrat sycophants." That didn't sit well with the New York senator, who added that Trump "has failed the American people, and especially his own supporters."
The comments come at a time when health insurance premiums have jumped in many parts of the country, leaving millions wondering how they'll afford basic medical coverage. It's become a politically charged issue as the parties battle over healthcare policy.
Democrats Sound the Alarm on Healthcare Access
Saturday turned into something of a Democratic messaging blitz on X, with party leaders hammering Republicans over rising healthcare costs and expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called Speaker Mike Johnson's new Republican healthcare plan both "toxic" and "deeply unserious," warning it would hurt everyday Americans by failing to extend those expiring ACA tax credits.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren brought receipts from Massachusetts, noting that 10,000 people in her state lost health insurance in just one month, double last year's number. She laid the blame squarely on Republican inaction.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar highlighted that 27% of farmers, including those in Polk County, Iowa, depend on the health insurance marketplace. She warned that Republican opposition to extending ACA tax credits (which has happened 13 times now) could cause premiums to double or even triple.
And Sen. Bernie Sanders brought his usual critique, pointing out that the U.S. spends more on healthcare than most countries, pays the world's highest prescription drug prices, and still leaves 85 million Americans uninsured or underinsured, all while Republicans offer no serious solutions.
Republicans Counter with New Healthcare Bill
House Republicans aren't just playing defense. They've introduced the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, which they're pitching as a "common-sense" approach to bringing down costs.
Johnson fired back at Democrats, arguing that the Affordable Care Act caused the very problems people are complaining about: skyrocketing premiums plus waste, fraud, and abuse. His message: Republicans are stepping in to "fix the mess Democrats created."
So basically, we've got a full-blown healthcare fight heading into what's sure to be a contentious legislative season. Americans stuck with rising premiums are caught in the middle.