One of the biggest political issues in the United States is over how to deal with health care. After the Republican alternative to the affordable care act failed to gain enough support in Congress, Donald Trump is looking at other means to get what he wants.

Trump's health care hostage

Not long after former President Barack Obama took office in January 2009, he began his push to change the American health care system. One year later and the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, was signed into law. In the years that have followed, Republicans have made it their number one political priority to bash the law at every turn, while vowing to repeal and replace it.

During the 2016 presidential election, each Republican candidate used Obamacare and its potential repeal as part of their campaign talking points, including the current commander in chief, Donald Trump. As expected, the former host of "The Apprentice" ran down Obamacare on a daily basis, promising that he will give the American people the "best" health care they could imagine. Fast forward to the start of his administration, and that has been a promise he's been unable to keep. Trump worked with House Speaker Paul Ryan to create the best alternative possible, but it failed to gain traction with the right-wing Republican Freedom Caucus, and the president was forced to pull the bill from the floor before a vote could even take place.

As reported by New York Magazine on April 12, Trump is now looking to an extreme measure to force Democrats into coming to a deal on health care.

During an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, Donald Trump warned that he could soon use his power as president to freeze health care subsidies for low-income American until Democrats in the House of Representatives and the Senate come to him with a deal on repealing and replacing Obamacare.

While Trump claims he doesn't want hurt anyone, he believes his strategy will lead to a compromise on the issue at hand. "I think should happen, and will happen is the Democrats will start calling me and negotiating," Trump predicted.

Donald Trump then took at shot at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, as well as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi over the issue.

"He (Schumer) should be calling me and begging me to help him save Obamacare, along with Nancy Pelosi," Trump said.

Next up

After the GOP replacement bill, titled the American Health Care Act, failed last month, it was assumed that Donald Trump was going to move on from health care and shift to other issues like tax reform. However, the billionaire real estate mogul told the Wall Street Journal "I’m going to get health care done." As of press time, it's unknown how the president will move forward, with top Democrats not yet releasing a statement Trump's remarks.
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