Trump Blasts Kamala Harris ‘LIE!’ — Claims He ‘Never Mentioned’ Ending Obamacare, Even Though He Did Exactly That In a 2020 Debate
Former President Donald Trump branded Vice President Kamala Harris a “liar” and claimed he “never mentioned” ending the Affordable Care Act (ACA)— also called Obamacare — on Thursday despite the fact that he did just that during a debate with President Joe Biden during the 2020 election debate.
The latest clash, just days before the election, was sparked after House Speaker Mike Johnson promised “massive” healthcare reforms if Trump wins, including abolishing Obamacare.
“Healthcare reform’s going to be a big part of the agenda,” Johnson said at a Pennsylvania rally on Tuesday, confirming, “No Obamacare” when prompted by one attendee who asked. He emphasized ambitious plans for healthcare within the first 100 days.
Harris responded to the comments during a press conference on Thursday: “It has been a part of Donald Trump’s agenda for a very long time. He has made dozens of attempts to get rid of the Affordable Care Act and now we have further validation of that agenda from his supporter, the Speaker of the House.”
Trump took to Truth Social on Thursday to respond to Harris’s comments, claiming that he “never mentioned” and had “never even thought” about ending the ACA:
Lyin’ Kamala is giving a News Conference now, saying that I want to end the Affordable Care Act. I never mentioned doing that, never even thought about such a thing. She also said I want to end Social Security. Likewise, never mentioned it, or thought of it. She is the one that wants to end Social Security and, she will do it, by putting the millions of Migrants coming into our Country into it. Kamala is a LIAR! Everything that comes out of her mouth is a LIE. It’s MADE UP FICTION, and she’s doing it because she’s losing, and losing BIG!
In a follow-up post, he added:
Just watched Kamala’s Fake News Conference – ALL LIES! She is desperate but, more importantly, she looks totally EXHAUSTED! She should rest now, and leave the Campaigning to me!
Despite his denials, Trump explicitly said his aim was to “terminate” Obamacare and come up with a “brand new” healthcare plan during a 2020 debate with Biden. The former president’s record tells a similar story, as his presidency was filled with executive actions, legislative maneuvers, and lawsuits meant to undermine the ACA.
On his very first day in office, Trump signed an executive order declaring it was his administration’s policy “to seek the prompt repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.” Trump’s executive orders and legislative push, backed by a Republican-led Congress in 2017, aimed to dismantle ACA subsidies and regulations.
A bill passed by the House was estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to result in 23 million Americans losing insurance, a moment Trump celebrated in a Rose Garden ceremony, saying: “Make no mistake: This is a repeal and replace of Obamacare.”
Ultimately, the bill did not pass the Senate thanks to the late Senator John McCain’s decisive vote. Despite the legislative failure, Trump continued to pursue ACA cuts, reducing funding for outreach programs and expanding short-term insurance plans that sidestepped ACA protections.
That said, throughout his 2024 campaign, Trump and his team have sought to reframe his actions by claiming that he chose to “build upon” the ACA instead of dismantling it.
During his only debate with Harris, the ABC News presidential debate in September, Trump raised eyebrows when he claimed that he “saved” Obamacare and claimed to have “concepts of a plan” that might replace it, in part or completely.
Watch above on PBS.
