Sen. Gallego clashes with CNBC host over Democratic push to extend Obamacare subsidies

Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., fired back at CNBC host Joe Kernen over his question about Democrats’ demand for an extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies.

On Monday’s “Squawk Box,” Kernen asked Gallego why his party was demanding $1.5 trillion in federal spending if his goal was only to ensure Americans’ health insurance premiums don’t increase.

“But what’s the $1.5 trillion, Senator?” Kernen said. “You could extend those for one year, you could extend the Obamacare subsidies for $40 billion. For 10 years, you can do it for [$340] billion. You’re asking for $1.5 trillion.”

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CNBC host Joe Kernen claimed the Democratic Party was demanding $1.5 trillion dollars to reopen the government. (Probal Rashid/LightRocket via Getty Images)

“I’m sorry, are you an insurance broker?” Gallego responded.

“I don’t…that’s not germane to this, Senator,” Kernen remarked as Gallego repeatedly asked him if he was an insurance broker.

“Are you an insurance broker?” Kernen shot back.

“No, but I actually understand that I would first go talk to them,” Gallego said.

Kernen repeated his question, asking why Democrats were “demanding” $1.5 trillion to reopen the government.

“We’re not demanding anything,” Gallego said. “This is just a Republican talking point. All I want is for the [Affordable Care Act] to be extended for Americans so 24 million people do not get their premiums doubled. That’s what I’m asking for.”

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Arizona Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego defended Democrats’ efforts to extend Obamacare subsidies. (Go Nakamura/Reuters)

Earlier in the interview, Gallego and Kernen also argued over Democrats refusing to vote on House Speaker Mike Johnson’s bill to continue funding the government.

“Well, because he gave the president the power to decide which employee was essential or not,” Gallego said. “And like, let’s be honest, this president is quite temperamental. He acts like a child. He’s very petty. And if you give him that power, he would use it in a petty, temperamental, childlike way.”

“Senator, I guess the critics of Democrats would say it’s similar here,” Kernen said. “You’re talking about a clean bill. The continued resolution is a clean resolution, same as the one that was in March. And all along, it looked like that was going to be sufficient to get enough votes to pass. And it’s just not…”

“I’m sorry, to who? I’m sorry, that’s never been in my position,” Gallego said.

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The Democratic Party has demanded an extension on Obamacare subsidies in exchange for opening the federal govenrment. (Getty Images)

In a comment to Fox News Digital, Gallego press secretary Jacques Petit said, “Senator Gallego will not back down at Republicans allowing health insurance premiums to skyrocket for 24 million Americans.”

Nov. 1 marks the first day of open enrollment for Obamacare, also known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Democrats have warned for weeks that healthcare premium prices are expected to skyrocket for Americans who rely on the program if Obamacare subsidies that were enhanced during the COVID-19 pandemic, set to expire at the end of 2025, are not extended.

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That extension has emerged as Democrats’ main demand in the shutdown fight, now in its fourth week. Democrats have largely refused to agree to any spending bill that does not extend the subsidies.

Fox News’ Alex Miller, Elizabeth Elkind and Leo Briceno contributed to this report.