Trump is flat-out 'lying' about protecting pre-existing conditions, says Obama


Former President Barack Obama wants to call it like he sees it.
Speaking at a rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in support of local Democratic candidates on Friday, Obama couldn't believe the audacity of his successor's claims about protecting health-care coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.
President Trump "says 'I'm going to protect your pre-existing conditions,' while his Justice Department is in court right now trying to strike down those protections," said Obama, referring to a lawsuit backed by the Trump administration attempting to overturn major aspects of the Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare. "That is not spin. That's not exaggeration ... that's lying," said Obama.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Obama also lamented the current culture among those in public office — "politicians just blatantly, repeatedly, baldly, shamelessly lying." Much like his previous speeches rallying for Democratic support, Obama called for high voter turnout. He warned voters not to "fall for" the "fear-mongering" about immigration, reminding the crowd that lawmakers would likely push anti-immigrant rhetoric until the midterm elections. Watch his health-care comments below, via ABC News. Summer Meza
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
Trump taps Fox News' Pirro for DC attorney post
speed read The president has named Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to be the top federal prosecutor for Washington, replacing acting US Attorney Ed Martin
-
Trump, UK's Starmer outline first post-tariff deal
speed read President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Kier Starmer struck a 'historic' agreement to eliminate some of the former's imposed tariffs
-
Fed leaves rates unchanged as Powell warns on tariffs
speed read The Federal Reserve says the risks of higher inflation and unemployment are increasing under Trump's tariffs
-
Denmark to grill US envoy on Greenland spying report
speed read The Trump administration ramped up spying on Greenland, says reporting by The Wall Street Journal
-
Supreme Court allows transgender troop ban
speed read The US Supreme Court will let the Trump administration begin executing its ban on transgender military service members
-
Hollywood confounded by Trump's film tariff idea
speed read President Trump proposed a '100% tariff' on movies 'produced in foreign lands'
-
Trump offers migrants $1,000 to 'self-deport'
speed read The Department of Homeland Security says undocumented immigrants can leave the US in a more 'dignified way'
-
Trump is not sure he must follow the Constitution
speed read When asked about due process for migrants in a TV interview, President Trump said he didn't know whether he had to uphold the Fifth Amendment