'Please stop and let me finish my question': Town hall questioner reacts to Trump interrupting her
Moment was a rare public rebuke of a sitting president by a voter with Election Day under 50 days away
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A Pennsylvania voter told Donald Trump during a Tuesday night town hall to “stop” interrupting her so she could ask him how he would use a second term to protect people like her who have a pre-existing medical condition.
“Please stop and let me finish my question, sir,” Ellesia Blaque, a professor at Kutztown University, said as the president tried to talk over her question during an ABC News town hall in Philadelphia. Mr Trump immediately stopped his retort, but did not directly answer her question after she disclosed a serious medical condition she has had since birth.
Instead, the president claimed to be close to rolling out a healthcare plan that would replace the law known as Obamacare.
‘Lasting peace’: Self-interested parties and key missing pieces blur Trump’s Middle East declarations and risk instability
'Peace without blood all over the sand': Trump jokes about Netanyahu's love of war and both attack 'tyrants of Tehran' at peace summit
Trump says he didn't downplay coronavirus but 'up-played it' despite Woodward tape revelations
He has been making that claim for three years, but has failed to produce a package that would pass both chambers of Congress. Last month, he said a new GOP plan would be unveiled in just a few weeks. But his White House has yet to produce such a blueprint, and no Republican lawmakers are running on a new health plan or talking about them in the halls of the Capitol.
The emotional moment was among a handful of times undecided voters pressed him during the Philadelphia event, his seventh stop in Pennsylvania this year alone. He and Democratic nominee Joe Biden are jousting for the key swing state’s 20 electoral votes.
Mr Trump rejected the notion during the town hall that a lawsuit his administration is pushing through the court system would terminate the 2011 Affordable Care Act even though experts say it would do just that.
Healthcare is typically among the top two or three issues for voters when they are asked as part of election polling.
Mr Biden wants to try improving the ACA while building in some sort of public option.
It is unclear whether either major party candidate can put a plan in front of lawmakers that could one day become law.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments