U.S. President Donald Trump. UPI=Yonhap News.  

U.S. President Donald Trump said on the 6th (local time) regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which has caused the federal government shutdown, "I am in discussions with the Democrats, and something very good could happen regarding subsidies."

President Trump stated this at a signing ceremony for an executive order at the White House, saying, "As you know, Obamacare is broken. We have to prop it up and find the best way to do it."

He identified the issue of healthcare as the point of contention for the shutdown, saying, "Broadly, we want to provide excellent healthcare for our citizens. We don't want to pay money to other countries coming into our country."

He added, "The way to stop them (illegal immigrants) is not to give them things for free, or to announce that we are providing free healthcare or this and that to everyone," pointing out that even current Americans are not receiving adequate medical services.

President Trump did not specify his proposal in negotiations with the Democrats.

However, regarding the extension of Obamacare subsidies, which the Democrats are demanding, he criticized, "There are too many subsidies. Billions of dollars are being wasted, and we can have better healthcare than this," and then stated, "I hope we can reach an agreement for excellent healthcare. I am a Republican, but I want healthcare much more than the Democrats."

President Trump also emphasized the seriousness of crimes occurring in Chicago, Illinois, and Portland, Oregon, on this day, labeling them as "criminal insurrection."

He then emphasized the justification for deploying military forces and criticized Democratic governors and mayors who opposed it.

President Trump also hinted at the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act, which grants the president the authority to deploy troops domestically under specific conditions, such as insurrection.

President Trump stated, "We will do that (invoke the Insurrection Act) if necessary. We haven't needed it so far, but there's a reason for the Insurrection Act. If people continue to be killed (by crime), or if courts, governors, or mayors block us, we will do it."

President Trump also left the door open regarding the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on the potential pardon of Ghislaine Maxwell, an accomplice and former partner of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein (deceased), stating, "I know nothing about it. I will look into it. I will speak with the Department of Justice."

Meanwhile, President Trump signed an executive order on this day approving the construction of a 211-mile (approximately 340 km) road connecting to the Ambler mining district in Alaska.

In a statement, the White House explained, "This decision overturns the Biden administration's denial of road construction last year, which disregarded Alaska's economic needs and national security requirements."

Yonhap News