Truth behind whether Obama earned $40,000,000 in royalties from Obamacare as Trump makes shocking claim

Earlier this month, former President Donald Trump used his Truth Social account to share a post claiming that Barack Obama had earned $40 million in royalties from Obamacare since its 2010 launch.

The shared post stated that DOGE had stopped paying Obama $2.5 million annually linked to the healthcare law, with Trump reacting simply: “WOW!” Obamacare, formally the Affordable Care Act, was enacted to expand healthcare access for Americans.

The law was also a central issue in the recent government shutdown, which involved debates over extending subsidies for 24 million citizens whose coverage was set to expire.

Trump has long criticised Obamacare, suggesting earlier in November that money sent to insurance companies should instead go directly to the public so they could buy better healthcare. However, he has since acknowledged the need to extend subsidies, calling the law a “disaster.”

The viral claim about Obama making millions lacks any credible source and appears to originate from the satirical website Dunning-Kruger Times, part of the America’s Last Line of Defense network, which explicitly labels its content as fiction.

Journalists have debunked the story. CNN anchor Jake Tapper noted that the claims are false, emphasising the site produces parody and satire. The so-called “Obamacare royalties” storyline has circulated online before but has no basis in reality.

A White House spokesperson defended Trump’s post, arguing Obama became wealthy after leaving office, while Trump allegedly lost money in office by prioritising ordinary Americans over special interests.