Trump, Schumer Clash on Tunnels and Obamacare Subsidies
Henry ThompsonTrump and Schumer's rare meeting highlighted policy divides on infrastructure, healthcare, and immigration.
President Donald Trump and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer met at the White House on Thursday, holding a rare one-on-one discussion that underscored deep divisions on healthcare, infrastructure, and immigration policy.
The meeting was reportedly initiated by the president to address his decision to halt federal funding for the critical Gateway tunnel project.
The Gateway Tunnel Funding Standoff
A key point of contention was the future of the Gateway project, a major infrastructure plan to build a new rail tunnel between New York and New Jersey. According to a statement from Schumer's office, President Trump called the meeting to discuss the project after his administration paused its funding.
Schumer, who represents New York, used the opportunity to directly advocate for the plan, urging the president to "promptly release" the federal money needed to move forward.
Healthcare Subsidies at an Impasse
The conversation also turned to the contentious issue of healthcare. Schumer pressed President Trump to reverse his opposition to renewing expired subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
The debate comes at a critical time, with open enrollment for ACA, or "Obamacare," policies set to close. Without the subsidies, insurance premiums have, on average, more than doubled.
While the House has passed a three-year extension of the subsidies with some bipartisan support, the measure has stalled among Senate Republicans, and compromise talks have broken down. Further complicating matters, President Trump released his own healthcare plan on Thursday, which does not include a renewal of the ACA subsidies.
A Challenge on Immigration Enforcement
Beyond infrastructure and healthcare, Schumer also raised concerns over the administration's immigration policies. The New York senator urged President Trump to scale back Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, which Schumer’s office stated "are terrorizing communities."
