With his tax bill close to becoming law, Donald Trump spoke to reporters while meeting with members of his Cabinet. During the meeting, the president made several controversial statements, before having Ben Carson lead the room in prayer.
Trump on Cabinet
On Wednesday afternoon, Donald Trump held a meeting with his Cabinet that was recorded live across most cable news outlets. The former host of "The Apprentice" touched on many subjects, with special attention on his tax bill that just passed in the House of Representatives after being passed in the Senate late Tuesday night.
During the meeting, Trump decided to brag about secretly repealing Obamacare, which he made a point to note that he didn't bring up in recent weeks due to risking the story being smeared by the media. At the meetings closing, head of HUD Ben Carson led the room in prayer while the president took a shot at the media, with Vice President Mike Pence giving a lengthy speech in praise of Trump, as reported by ABC News on December 20.
Pres. Trump on repeal of individual mandate in tax bill: "When the individual mandate is being repealed, that means Obamacare is being repealed...Obamacare has been repealed in this bill." https://t.co/4B6flsoJZd pic.twitter.com/XFbiuaXxfW
— ABC News (@ABC) December 20, 2017
While speaking to reporters during his Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Donald Trump gloated about the repeal of Obamacare.
"In this bill not only do we have massive tax cuts and tax reform, we have essentially repealed Obamacare and we'll come up with something that will be much better," Trump said. "We didn't wanna bring it up," he added. "I told people specifically 'be quiet with the fake news media' because I don't want them talking to much about it," Trump continued.
"You had to pay not to have insurance, it has been repealed," the president stated.
Pres. Trump offers to allow reporters to stay for Ben Carson's prayer: "You need the prayer more than I do, I think. You may be the only ones." https://t.co/CFdzczE0fE pic.twitter.com/33To4DShvc
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) December 20, 2017
"So with that I'm gonna I'm gonna ask Ben Carson.
You can stay if you want," Donald Trump said to the media in reference to Carson saying a prayer at the cabinet meeting. "You need the prayer more than I do I think. You might be the only ones. Maybe a good solid prayer," Trump said about the media, before Carson started his prayer. In addition to Carson's prayer, which typically doesn't take place in Cabinet meetings, Vice President Mike Pence gave a short speech praising the work Trump has done in office while thanking him for letting him be a part of the administration over the last year.
Next up
While his entire Cabinet prayed for him, Donald Trump has his sights set on the signing his controversial tax bill that is headed to his desk later this week. As 2017 comes to a close, only time will tell how the rest of Trump's administration moves forward.
