By Elena Vasquez, Staff Writer
Washington, D.C. — November 8, 2025
As the U.S. government shutdown drags into its unprecedented 39th day—the longest in American history—President Donald J. Trump has thrust healthcare reform back into the national spotlight with a provocative proposal to dismantle key pillars of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as Obamacare. In a fiery post on Truth Social early Saturday morning, Trump called on Senate Republicans to redirect “hundreds of billions of dollars” in federal subsidies from insurance companies directly to American individuals, framing it as a populist strike against “money-sucking” insurers and a path to “much better, and cheaper” healthcare.
The announcement, which has exploded across social media platform X (formerly Twitter) with over 59,000 posts under the trending topic “Obamacare,” comes as Democrats and Republicans remain deadlocked over funding the enhanced ACA subsidies set to expire on December 31. These subsidies, temporarily boosted during the COVID-19 pandemic, have helped keep premiums affordable for more than 24 million low- and middle-income Americans enrolled in ACA marketplace plans. Without extension, experts warn premiums could double or triple in many states, potentially leaving millions uninsured.
Trump’s intervention escalates a standoff that began on September 30, when Congress failed to pass a stopgap funding bill. Democrats, led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, have insisted on including the subsidy extension in any deal to reopen the government, affecting federal workers, national parks, and food assistance programs like SNAP. Republicans, backed by Trump, decry the demand as a “poison pill” that props up a flawed system, arguing it enriches insurers at taxpayer expense. The White House estimates the enhanced subsidies cost $138 billion annually, a figure Democrats say saves families an average of $6,000 to $7,000 per year on premiums.
A Bold Prescription: ‘Take from the BIG, BAD Insurance Companies’
In his signature bombastic style, Trump’s post laid bare his vision for upending the ACA’s structure. “I am recommending to Senate Republicans that the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars currently being sent to money sucking Insurance Companies in order to save the bad Healthcare provided by ObamaCare, BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE THEIR OWN, MUCH BETTER, HEALTHCARE, and have money left over,” he wrote, adding, “In other words, 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. Unrelated, we must still terminate the Filibuster!”
The proposal echoes Trump’s long-standing crusade against the 2010 law, which he has repeatedly branded a “disaster” since his first term. It envisions subsidies flowing into health savings accounts (HSAs) or direct payments, allowing consumers to shop for plans across state lines and fostering competition to drive down costs. Proponents argue this would empower individuals, reduce bureaucratic middlemen, and align with free-market principles.
Republican heavyweights quickly rallied behind the idea. Florida Sen. Rick Scott, a former healthcare executive and vocal ACA critic, announced he was “writing the bill right now,” proposing HSA-style accounts and interstate insurance sales to “increase competition & drive down costs.” Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford echoed the sentiment, telling Reuters that current subsidies “pump money to insurance companies, not to people,” benefiting only a “select group” rather than the broader population. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and House Speaker Mike Johnson also voiced support, with Johnson praising it as a step toward “real reform” in a Fox News interview.
On X, the proposal lit up conservative circles. One viral post from @EricLDaugh, chief content officer at Florida Voice News, garnered over 25,000 likes: “🚨 BREAKING: In a huge move, President Trump calls on Senate Republicans to address the Obamacare subsidies by sending the hundreds of billions TO THE PEOPLE, NOT insurance companies. Trump is now going to make healthcare ‘for the people’ versus Democrats’ ‘big insurance.’ GENIUS.” Accompanying the text was a screenshot of Trump’s Truth Social post, overlaid with American flag emojis and a checkmark icon, viewed more than 5 million times.
President Trump’s November 8 Truth Social post, as shared on X, calling for subsidy redirection and filibuster elimination. (Source: X/@EricLDaugh)
Another post from @IngrahamAngle, host of Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle, amplified the message: “🚨 President Trump once again thinking FOR THE PEOPLE. 🚨 Instead of pouring billions into BIG INSURANCE, he’s calling to send it directly to Americans — so they can choose better, cheaper healthcare for their families.” It included a bar chart purportedly showing post-Obamacare stock surges for insurers like UnitedHealth (up 1,777%) and Cigna (up 822%), from March 2010 to November 2025—evidence, conservatives claim, of corporate windfalls at consumers’ expense.
Democrats Fire Back: ‘Reckless’ and ‘Unserious’
Democrats, already frustrated by the shutdown’s toll—unpaid federal workers, delayed SNAP benefits for 42 million, and TSA furloughs causing airport chaos—pounced on Trump’s plan as a dangerous fantasy. Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, a key ACA defender, tweeted: “This is, unsurprisingly, nonsensical. Is he suggesting eliminating health insurance and giving people a few thousand dollars instead? And then when they get a cancer diagnosis they just go bankrupt? He is so unserious. That’s why we are shut down and Americans know it.” The post, quoting Trump’s tweet, racked up 11,000 likes and 3,000 reposts within hours.
On Friday, Schumer floated a compromise: a one-year subsidy extension in exchange for ending the shutdown, without permanent commitment. Republicans dismissed it as a “nonstarter,” with Sen. John Thune calling it “just kicking the can down the road.” Critics like Murphy argue redirection would shatter the ACA’s risk pools, where healthy and sick individuals share costs, leading to skyrocketing premiums for those with pre-existing conditions—a protection baked into the law since 2014.
Analysts warn of chaos. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that without subsidies, 4 million could lose coverage immediately, with premiums jumping 75% on average. X user @TheMaineWonk crunched numbers in a widely shared post: “ACA premium tax cuts cost roughly $138B/year & saves Americans $6-7K. Trump wants to instead divide & send one time direct payment to 336M Americans… Payment Amounts to $410. Family Avg premium: $2250/mo. Single Person Avg: $700/mo. Trump is a moron.” The post, viewed 23,000 times, sparked heated replies debating math and motives.
Health policy expert Larry Levitt of the Urban Institute told Newsweek the idea “sounds appealing but ignores how insurance works—direct payments wouldn’t cover catastrophic costs, and without mandates, adverse selection would bankrupt the system.” Insurers, already reeling from cyberattacks and earnings misses, saw shares dip further Friday; UnitedHealth fell 2.3% amid fears of subsidy upheaval.
The Shutdown’s Human Toll and Political Calculus
The impasse has real-world bite. Federal employees, from Capitol Hill staffers to park rangers, await back pay, while 800,000 are furloughed. SNAP delays have hit low-income families hardest, with states scrambling to bridge gaps. A federal judge ruled Thursday that Trump must release some benefits, but the administration appealed, citing shutdown constraints.
Politically, it’s a high-wire act. Polls show 60% of Americans blame Republicans for the shutdown, per CNN, but Trump’s base cheers the ACA assault—evident in X trends where #MAGA and #DrainTheSwamp surged alongside “Obamacare.” Moderate GOP senators in swing states, like Susan Collins of Maine, face pressure from constituents reliant on ACA plans.
X user @Guru_Merc, a veteran and YouTuber, offered a measured take: “Trump’s Truth Social post… sounds simple, but the reality isn’t. The Affordable Care Act is federal law… Changing how it’s funded… would require Congress to pass a new law.” The post, with 12 likes, included an image of Trump at a podium, underscoring the proposal’s theatrical flair.
Echoes of 2017: Can Reform Stick This Time?
This isn’t Trump’s first rodeo. In 2017, Republicans’ repeal efforts failed by a single Senate vote, leaving the ACA intact despite cuts to individual mandates. Today’s push arrives with a GOP trifecta, but the filibuster—ironically targeted in Trump’s post—looms large unless nuked.
Advocates like Scott envision a “massive loss” for Democrats, who would be painted as “pro-Big Insurance.” Yet skeptics, including some X users, see irony: “It is darkly humorous that… the Republican health insurance plan ends up being to end health insurance,” tweeted @someuser, quoting Trump’s post. (From document.)
As negotiations stall, the shutdown’s shadow grows. Will Trump’s gambit force a breakthrough, or deepen the divide? With open enrollment underway, millions hang in the balance. For now, X pulses with outrage and applause, a digital coliseum for America’s healthcare soul-searching.
Elena Vasquez covers Congress and health policy for The National Herald. Reach her at [email protected].
