President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania hosted U.S. lawmakers and staff at the White House on Dec. 15, as part of the Congressional Christmas Ball.
In his welcoming comments while flanked by the First Lady and by Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Trump said the country has a chance to enjoy “great healthcare” now that a federal judge has ruled former President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law unconstitutional.
“Exciting things happened over the last 24 hours. And if everybody’s smart… and if the Republicans and Democrats get together, we’re going to end up with incredible healthcare,” Trump told the black-tie crowd.
U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth, Texas, on Friday sided with a coalition of 20 states that argued requiring people to pay for insurance coverage is illegal because a change in tax law last year eliminated a penalty for not having health insurance.
Trump also thanked Melania for her work on the White House Christmas decorations.
“I want to thank Melania, a great First Lady, for doing the decorations. As you know she worked, she worked so hard on all of the beautiful decorations,” Trump said. “And I’ll tell you what, she does it from the heart. She has done a terrific job. People love our First Lady so thank you very much.”
