Trump Threat: End Health Payments Unless There's An Overhaul
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WASHINGTON (CBSMiami/AP) -- As the White House prepares to welcome a new chief of staff Monday, President Donald Trump weighed in over the weekend on health care, Congress and the stock market.
On Saturday, Trump threatened to end required payments to insurance companies unless lawmakers repeal and replace the existing health law.
The subsidies are estimated at $7 billion a year and help reduce costs such as deductibles for people with low incomes. Republicans are challenging the payments in court and Trump has only guaranteed them through the month.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said ending the payments would make health care even more expensive.
"Unless the Republican Senators are total quitters, Repeal & Replace is not dead," Trump tweeted. "Demand another vote before voting on any other bill!"
He also called on the Senate to abolish the 60-vote filibuster rule for passing bills.
President Trump will soon push his agenda with the help of new Chief of Staff John Kelly, previously the head of the Department for Homeland Security.
Reince Priebus is out.
"I think going in a different direction, hitting a reset button is a good thing," Priebus told Sean Hannity, following his resignation from the position.
Critics say Priebus didn't have enough authority to control White House personnel or tell the president the hard truths.
"Preibus made rookie mistake after rookie mistake," said Chris Whipple, author of "The Gatekeepers," who added that Priebus, however, did have experience with Congress on Capitol Hill, something Kelly lacks. "Now Kelly, doesn't really know the Hill. Generals have not done well in this position."
Priebus plans on staying on for two weeks to help Kelly with the transition.
The White House also signaled that President Trump will sign a new package of Russian sanctions Congress passed this week.
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