Trump dismisses reporter’s question on rising healthcare costs: ‘You make it sound so bad’

WASHINGTON, DC: On Friday, December 12, in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump dismissed a reporter’s question about skyrocketing healthcare costs, reacting sharply to the question.

The exchange occurred during a bill signing ceremony that started over two hours late and focused on concerns about the end of extended Obamacare subsidies and rising insurance premiums for millions of Americans.

Trump’s reaction to the healthcare question

During the ceremony, a reporter questioned the rising healthcare costs, noting that Obamacare subsidies were set to expire at the end of the year.

The reporter asked, “What’s your message to those 24 million Americans who will see their insurance premiums go up...” but was cut off by Trump before finishing the question. 

Trump interrupted and said, “Well, you make it sound so bad,” before launching into an attack on the news coverage and the opposition.

He accused the reporter of being a “sycophant for Democrats” and a “provider of bad news for Republicans,” suggesting that the framing of the question wasn't a neutral inquiry. 

Trump also used the moment to reinforce his long‑standing criticism of the Affordable Care Act. He called Obamacare “horrible health insurance” and claimed that Democrats were “totally controlled by insurance companies.”

He reiterated his own healthcare philosophy, saying, “I want to see the billions of dollars go to the people, not the insurance companies.”

According to the 79-year-old, his goal is for people to “go out and buy themselves great healthcare,” which he characterized as better and less costly.

The exchange also referenced a concept Trump had previously mentioned in early November, giving people the money directly so they could purchase their own insurance.

Trump and the healthcare debate

This interruption happened amid a broader political impasse. The Senate had recently deadlocked on competing health insurance cost proposals, effectively ensuring that the expanded Affordable Care Act tax subsidies were on track to expire at the end of the month.

In that standoff, Democrats failed to secure enough votes to extend the subsidies for three more years. 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer had then explained his decision to vote against the continuing resolution aimed at ending the lengthy government shutdown.

Blaming the president for inaction, Schumer added, "Democrats had asked President Trump to step in to deliver lower healthcare costs for Americans."

He had further criticized Trump's actions, saying, “Trump has taken the American people hostage, from cutting off food aid to hungry families and vets and seniors and kids, to manufacturing flight cancellations, to cutting off home heating aid while he builds a million-dollar ballroom with gold-plated toilets.”

Republicans, on the other hand, offered their own alternative, proposing expanded tax‑advantaged health savings accounts and limited direct payments of up to $1,500, but this also fell short.

With neither side able to pass a plan, the potential increase in premiums remains unresolved and sets up a major health care fight heading into next year’s midterm elections.

Amid the political back‑and‑forth, the online response included criticism from media figures like 'Pod Save America' host Jon Favreau, who wrote on social platform X (formerly Twitter) that Trump “has no idea how health insurance works.”