By Itunuoluwa Adebo
“To make a deal, you have to know when it’s time to walk.”
President Trump used this tactic on Thursday night, seeking to break through the resistance of House Republicans, refusing to pass the health care bill that has left the administration in limbo.
After days of trying to charm members of Congress, Trump gave them an ultimatum: If they don’t vote yes Friday, he will move on and saddle them with the shame of failing to repeal Obamacare, a staunch GOP goal.
If Trump’s decision to call the lawmakers’ bluff delivers him victory on Friday, he will finally establish his authority over the GOP on Capitol Hill and deliver a much-needed win for the White House.
But if his tactic fails, it will be a humiliating defeat that suggests the infighting that handicapped the party while Democrats held the White House is immune to the outsider shakeup he promised for Washington.
Trump is “pissed” that the bill is struggling to pass, according to CNN. He’s also frustrated that his staff has been unable to clear the way to passage, Trump realizes his credibility will take a hit if the bill goes down.
Trump’s bet represents his most audacious risk yet in a presidency built on his own belief that his excellent negotiating skills could pass laws that will reshape the nation. Since its supporters still don’t have the votes to pass the bill, it also amounted to the first and most crucial test of the fact that his “Art of the Deal” business approach can translate to politics.
During his campaign, President Trump repeatedly boasted that he makes “great deals” and trashed the negotiating skills of his predecessor Barack Obama. “In negotiation, you must be willing to walk,”.
