Donald Trump reconsiders Obamacare scrap pledge following talks with Barack Obama

Transition of power: US President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald Trump meet in the White House
EPA/MICHAEL REYNOLDS
Jamie Bullen11 November 2016

Donald Trump has revealed he is reconsidering his pledge to completely scrap Obamacare following a plea from US President Barack Obama.

The president-elect said he wanted to repeal the Affordable Care Act which he branded “expensive” and “unworkable” in the run-up to Tuesday’s election.

But Mr Trump has now appeared to backtrack on the promise after he said he would consider leaving in certain parts of the legislation, which was passed in 2010.

It comes after he met US President Barack Obama on Thursday at the White House as the transition between the men gets underway before Mr Trump is sworn into office in January.

Reconsidering: Mr Trump said he could keep parts of the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare
EPA

Mr Trump told the Wall Street Journal he favours keeping a ban against insurers denying coverage because of patients’ existing conditions.

He added he supported a provision that allows parents to provide years of additional coverage for children on their insurance policies.

He told the WSJ: “I like those very much.”

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Speaking from his Trump Tower office, he said he had decided to look again at his pledge “out of respect” for Mr Obama.

He said: “I told him I will look at his suggestions, and out of respect, I will do that.

“Either Obamacare will be amended, or repealed and replaced.”

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He said his urgent priorities in his first few weeks as President include deregulating financial institutions so banks can lend again and securing the US border against drugs and illegal immigrants.

He added he wanted to bring the country together in the wake of a bitter election campaign and protests erupting at his subsequent victory.

He said: “I want a country that loves each other. I want to stress that.” He said the best way to ease tension would be to “bring in jobs.”

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