Trump says 'nobody knew health care could be so complicated

President Donald Trump said during remarks at the White House on Monday that "nobody knew” that health care “could be so complicated" as his party debates an alternative to Obamacare, which they have vowed to repeal.

Although Trump has been in office for over a month, Republicans have yet to follow through on their long-promised goal of repealing the Affordable Care Act. The delay has caused an increasing amount of impatience from opponents of the law and skepticism from critics over whether Republicans will ever act on their promise.

"Now, I have to tell you, it's an unbelievably complex subject," Trump told a gathering of the nation’s governors. "Nobody knew health care could be so complicated."

Trump indicated that there is an alternative to Obamacare being discussed.

"We have come up with a solution that's really, really I think very good," he said.

Trump floated the idea of leaving Obamacare in place so it would “implode” — thus placing the blame for the failure on Democrats — but reiterated that he thinks it should be repealed.

“Let it be a disaster, because we can blame that on the [Democrats] that are in our room — and we can blame that on the Democrats and President Obama,” Trump said, adding, “But we have to do what's right, because Obamacare is a failed disaster.”

In recent days, in the face of heightened debate over Obamacare, supporters of former President Barack Obama’s signature health care law have protested efforts to repeal the law at a series of town halls by Republican lawmakers.

Trump dismissed what he characterized as Obamacare newfound popularity.

"People hate it but now they see that the end is coming and they say, 'Oh, maybe we love it.' There's nothing to love,” he said. “It's a disaster, folks."

Trump told reporters earlier this month that the White House will release its health care plan by "maybe mid to early March."

Trump on Obamacare: "It's an unbelievably complex subject. Nobody knew health care could be so complicated." https://t.co/gaWOCLvwUC

— Dan Merica (@danmericaCNN) February 27, 2017