Schumer To Trump: Can’t Run The Presidency Like a Real Estate Deal

By Daniel J. Solomon March 27, 2017

After President Trump’s effort to repeal and replace Obamacare came to naught, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer had a message for the beleaguered commander-in-chief: the art of the deal is different in Washington, D.C.

“You cannot run the presidency like you run a real estate deal. You can’t tweet your way through it,” the New York senator told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on Sunday. “You can’t threaten and intimidate and say I’ll walk away. It’s more complicated.” He also said that so-called Trumpcare represented the goals of “hard-right wealthy special interests.”

Democrats have been reveling in the administration’s defeat last week, when Republicans in the House were forced to pull an Obamacare replacement from the floor without a vote, after it became clear the measure would not pass. Trump campaigned on a promise to revamp the healthcare system, lowering costs and increasing quality and access.

But for now, the White House plans to leave Obamacare in place and move to tax reform. Schumer predicted that if Trump and Republicans are not willing to compromise on overhauling the tax code “they’ll lose again.”

Contact Daniel J. Solomon at solomon@forward.com or on Twitter @DanielJSolomon

Daniel J. Solomon is the former Assistant to the Editor/News Writer at the Forward. Originally from Queens, he attended Harvard as an undergraduate, where he wrote his senior thesis on French-Jewish intellectual history. He is excited to have returned to New York after his time in Massachusetts. Daniel’s passions include folk music, cycling, and pointed argument.

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