GOP leader rebuts Trump on House health bill: ‘It’s not mean’

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Thursday rebutted President Trump’s characterization of the House Republican healthcare reform bill as “mean.”

“You know what, it’s not mean,” McCarthy said during an appearance on MSNBC’s “For the Record with Greta.”

“I’ll tell you what’s mean in the process is, you look at Iowa. Ninety-four out of 99 counties will not have any healthcare. The [Department of] Health and Human Services came out that ObamaCare’s actually doubled in premiums,” McCarthy said.

{mosads}“We’re talking about saving individuals and making sure they don’t have to go through losing their healthcare. So, you know, I think you look at our plan, our plan is a very good plan,” he added.

Trump described the House legislation as “mean” during a meeting with Republican senators on Tuesday and said it should be more generous, according to a Senate GOP aide.

Trump had previously praised the legislation, calling it “a great plan” after it passed through the lower chamber in early May.

When pressed Thursday by host Greta Van Susteren about Trump’s characterization of the lower chamber’s bill, McCarthy dodged.

“I think let’s see at the end of the day what the plan looks like,” McCarthy said.

“The most important thing here is that, you know, more people took the penalty and the waiver than actually signed up for ObamaCare. Plans are pulling out and losing healthcare overall.”