The White House said Thursday President Donald Trump wants to see lawmakers, more specifically the conservative House Freedom Caucus, vote with the American people in mind rather than with their own agendas.
"I think there's a few members of the Freedom Caucus, both prior to last Friday's [scheduled healthcare] vote and since then, who have expressed a willingness to want to work with [Trump] rather than necessarily as a block," White House press secretary Sean Spicer said.
"I think there continues to be some promising signs in that. Part of it is if people are more concerned with voting as a block than what's in the best interest of their constituents and the American people, he's hoping that people will see the bigger picture, the goals that we outlined."
The Freedom Caucus' opposition to the House GOP's American Health Care Act led to House Speaker Paul Ryan deciding to scrap a planned vote on it. Trump and other top Republicans are frustrated with the group.
The president tweeted this about the Freedom Caucus earlier Thursday:
Spicer was asked if the tweet meant Trump would campaign against any member of the Freedom Caucus who opposes legislation he supports, including the healthcare bill.
"I'm going to let the tweet speak for itself," Spicer said. "It would be improper of me to discuss the election or defeat of any candidate from this podium."
Rep. Ted Poe, a Texas Republican, ended up quitting the Freedom Caucus last weekend after the healthcare debacle.
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