U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders just thanked President Donald Trump for a remark he made about health care — no, really.
The self-proclaimed Democrat socialist from Vermont — an advocate of universal health care in the United States — jumped Thursday on a comment Trump made to Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Just hours after Trump celebrated the House's vote to pass a divisive bill to overhaul the U.S. health care system, he praised the Australian health care system, which provides universal coverage and has both public and private services.
Trump made the comment after he outlined his goals for the GOP bill, which faces a tough test in passing the U.S. Senate in its current form.
"It could get maybe even better. It's a very good bill right now. The premiums are gonna come down very substantially," Trump said, sitting next to Turnbull in New York City.
"The deductibles are going to come down. It's going to be fantastic health care. Right now Obamacare is failing. We have a failing health care – I shouldn't say this to our great gentleman, my friend from Australia cause you have better health care than we do."
Shown the clip on MSNBC's "All In with Chris Hayes" on Thursday, Sanders laughed before signaling that he will hold the comment over Trump's head.
"Thank you Mr. President ... Let us move to a Medicare for all system that does what every other major country on Earth does, guarantee health care to all people at a fraction of the cost per-capita that we spend. Thank you Mr. President. We'll quote you on the floor of the Senate," Sanders said.