Fact Check

Did President Trump Say 'Eventually We Will Get Something Done'?

The president made the comment, which was captured by a Fox News graphic, in regards to health care.

Published July 18, 2017

 (a katz / Shutterstock, Inc.)
Image Via a katz / Shutterstock, Inc.
Claim:
President Donald Trump said "eventually we will get something done."

On 18 July 2017, some social media users mockingly picked up on a Fox News graphic quoting President Donald Trump saying, "Eventually we're going to get something done."

Although President Trump did make the comment at the White House on 18 July 2017 and Fox News did paraphrase him in a chyron that ran along with their broadcast, Trump's statement was about the Senate's failure to pass a health care bill that would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (colloquially known as Obamacare). The comment was not aimed at the Republican party's overall performance in passing legislation.

The president's comment was part of a response to a reporter's question asking if the Republicans' version of a health care bill, the American Health Care Act (AHCA), was dead. Trump responded by expressing his disappointment with Republicans:

I’ve been saying that -- Mike, I think you’ll agree -- for a long time. Let Obamacare fail. It will be a lot easier. And I think we’re probably in that position where we’ll just let Obamacare fail. We’re not going to own it. I’m not going to own it. I can tell you, the Republicans are not going to own it. We’ll let Obamacare fail and then the Democrats are going to come to us, and they’re going to say, "How do we fix it? How do we fix it? Or how do we come up with a new plan?"

So we’ll see what happens. There’s some other things going on right now as we speak, but I am disappointed because, for so many years, I’ve been hearing repeal and replace. I’m sitting in the Oval Office, right next door, pen in hand, waiting to sign something, and I’ll be waiting. And eventually we’re going to get something done, and it’s going to be very good.

Republicans have been working to fulfill the President's campaign promise of repealing and replacing Obamacare since he took office, but on 17 July 2017 it became apparent they did not have the votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act. They have been unable to agree on and pass a replacement for the current health care system.

The president's comments, along with the Fox News chyron, can be seen on the cable channel's web site here:

Sources

Fox News. "Trump: 'We'll Just Let ObamaCare Fail, I'm Not Gonna Own It.'"   18 July 2017.

White House Press Office. "Remarks by President Trump at Luncheon with Servicemembers."   18 July 2017.

Murray, Mark. "NBC News/WSJ Poll: Just 12% in Key Trump Counties Back GOP Health Care Effort."   NBC News. 18 July 2017.

Kaplan, Thomas. "Health Care Overhaul Collapses as Two Republican Senators Defect."   The New York Times. 17 July 2017.

Bethania Palma is a journalist from the Los Angeles area who has been working in the news industry since 2006.