President Donald Trump snapped at a reporter in the Oval Office on Friday after being pressed on what millions of Americans should expect as enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies are set to expire – a change projected to raise premiums for roughly 24 million people.
During an event honoring the 1980 U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team – the famed “Miracle on Ice” – a reporter asked Trump directly: “What’s your message to those 24 million Americans who will see their insurance premiums go up?"
Trump immediately lashed out, accusing the journalist of parroting Democratic talking points.
“You make it sound so bad,” Trump said. “You’re obviously a sycophant for Democrats. You’re obviously a provider of bad news for Republicans." The reporter vigorously shook his head in disagreement as the exchange played out in the Oval Office.
Trump then launched into a winding defense of his long-promised plan to replace the ACA.
“We want the money not to be paid at all to insurance companies,” Trump said while insisting that “Obamacare is horrible health insurance” because it is “too expensive.”
He added: “We want the money to go to the people…let the people buy their own great health care. They’ll save a lot of money, and it’ll be great.”
Reporter: What is your message to the 24 million Americans who will see their insurance premiums go up?
Trump: You make it sound so bad. Obviously you are a sycophant for Democrats, you are obviously a provider of bad news for Republicans. pic.twitter.com/DWJeazrV1H
— Acyn (@Acyn) December 12, 2025
