Biden's comments were in the context of thousands of Americans relying on their health insurance for essential coverage
White House downplays Biden accusing GOP of ‘killing millions of Americans’ by terminating Affordable Care Act
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the notion was an "extreme evaluation"
The White House on Tuesday downplayed remarks President Biden made earlier in the day in which he seemed to suggest that House Republicans were essentially "killing millions of Americans" by slashing the Affordable Care Act.
The president spoke at an event at the nation’s capital earlier on Tuesday, touting government spending on childcare and other investments.
During his speech, the president took a shot at House Republicans over their budget proposals which "cut care giving programs by a third."
"It would mean 260,000 fewer kids in childcare," Biden said before accusing former President Trump and his "MAGA friends" of wanting to "terminate the Affordable Care Act."
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during a news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on April 9, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
"Terminate it – well, guess what? – killing millions of Americans, take them off of healthcare insurance. It’s stripping others of services like homecare folks," Biden said.
Later, Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich pressed White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on whether the president meant "to essentially accuse Republicans of murder."
Jean-Pierre shot back that Heinrich was taking the most "extreme evaluation of what the president said." When Heinrich noted the president’s language was "stronger than usual," Jean-Pierre again said she was "taking what [Biden] said to the most extreme part of your definition."
The White House press secretary slammed Republicans for voting to repeal affordable healthcare "when it is saving people's lives."
"Why do they do that? Do they not want Americans to have… affordable health care to protect themselves, to save their lives? That's the question to be asked. The president's trying to do the right thing. He's trying to be where majority of Americans are and protect our health care, protect their Medicare," Jean-Pierre said.
Last month, the Biden-Harris campaign accused former President Trump of threatening "political violence" after Trump, while speaking about the auto industry at a rally in Ohio, suggested there will be a "bloodbath" if he doesn’t win in the upcoming election in November.
Trump had been talking about China and how "they think that they are going to sell" cars manufactured in Mexico to the U.S. "with no tax at the border."
After getting flak for the comment, Trump doubled down, using the word "bloodbath" again several weeks later at a campaign event to criticize Biden’s border policies.
Fox News Digital's Greg Norman contributed to this report.
Bradford Betz is a Fox News Digital breaking reporter covering crime, political issues, and much more.
