Trump Drops Plan To ‘Terminate’ Obamacare Amid Senate Fight Over Subsidies

President Donald J. Trump announced a bold new proposal Saturday morning that could mark one of the most significant transformations of the American health care system in history — a plan to “terminate” Obamacare by cutting out insurance companies and sending federal health subsidies directly to citizens.

In a flurry of early morning posts on Truth Social, the president detailed his vision to redirect “hundreds of billions of dollars” currently funneled to what he called “money-sucking insurance companies,” instead giving the funds to Americans to purchase their own “much better, healthcare.”

“I am recommending to Senate Republicans that the hundreds of billions of dollars currently being sent to money-sucking insurance companies … BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE,” Trump wrote. “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.”

He punctuated the announcement with another familiar demand:

“Unrelated, we must still terminate the filibuster!”

Trump’s proposal underscores a signature theme of his second term — putting Washington’s power and money back into the hands of ordinary Americans. The president framed the idea as a strike against entrenched corporate interests and a way to make health care more affordable without bureaucratic interference.

The announcement comes amid ongoing pressure on the administration to resolve the government shutdown, now entering its fourth week. Democrats have criticized the White House for refusing to release SNAP food benefits to 42 million recipients, a matter currently being litigated in federal court.

At the same time, Trump has been pushing Senate Republicans to “nuke” the filibuster, arguing that Democrats are using procedural hurdles to block vital spending and reform legislation.

His Saturday message appeared to link the shutdown fight with his health care ambitions — presenting both as part of a larger effort to restore fairness, efficiency, and accountability to government spending.

Analysts quickly noted potential hurdles to implementing Trump’s direct-payment model, including the mechanics of how individuals would buy health coverage without private insurers as intermediaries. The Congressional Budget Office estimates federal subsidies at around $138 billion for 2025 — far less than Trump’s cited “hundreds of billions.”

Still, many conservatives praised the plan’s underlying principle: empowering citizens instead of corporations. Others cautioned that repealing Obamacare without a transitional replacement could risk temporary market instability.

Democrats, meanwhile, accused Trump of reviving an old battle from his first term — one they believe the GOP already lost. But Trump’s renewed push makes clear he’s not backing down.

In a separate post, the president blasted his opponents, writing:

“The Democrats are winning in that they are destroying our great, miracle economy. Which is exactly what they set out to do. TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER!”

The White House has not yet released a formal plan or cost analysis, but Trump’s direction is unmistakable: end the filibuster, end the shutdown, and end Obamacare once and for all.

As his administration continues negotiating with Congress, the president’s message resonates with supporters who see his fight as part of a broader mission — to dismantle Washington’s failed institutions and return control to the American people.