Speaker Johnson Vows Budget Vote Retry After GOP Revolt/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ House Speaker Mike Johnson’s attempt to pass a GOP budget framework stalled due to Republican hardliner resistance. Despite backing from President Trump, GOP members demanded deeper spending cuts before approving the $7 trillion tax-and-spending plan. Johnson now plans to revisit the bill with new negotiations underway.
Johnson’s Budget Standoff: Quick Looks
- Speaker Mike Johnson pulled a vote on the GOP budget framework after internal opposition.
- Republican hardliners, particularly from the Freedom Caucus, object to the lack of deeper spending cuts.
- Trump supports the bill, calling it a “big, beautiful” package aligned with his campaign promises.
- GOP leaders are negotiating behind closed doors to satisfy holdouts and salvage the bill.
- The framework includes extending 2017 tax cuts, new tax breaks, and mass deportation funding.
- House Democrats oppose the plan, calling it reckless and unfair to working Americans.
- Disagreements persist on the debt limit, military spending, and healthcare cuts.
- Senate Republicans resist further revisions that could trigger another all-night vote session.
Speaker Johnson Vows Budget Vote Retry After GOP Revolt
Deep Look
House Speaker Mike Johnson is facing serious resistance from within his own party after Republican hardliners derailed a critical vote on the GOP’s sweeping budget framework. The proposed legislation, heavily influenced by former President Donald Trump, includes trillions in tax breaks, steep spending cuts, and funding for key elements of Trump’s 2024 campaign platform—yet conservative GOP members argue it doesn’t go far enough in cutting government spending.
Johnson abruptly postponed the planned Wednesday vote, citing a lack of support from a faction of his party. “The president is very anxious for us to get this done,” Johnson told reporters following a late-night strategy meeting with GOP lawmakers. Despite his optimism, the intraparty impasse illustrates the deep divisions within the Republican ranks as they navigate a high-stakes legislative battle.
The bill, dubbed by Trump as his “big, beautiful budget,” is a centerpiece of the GOP’s policy agenda. It proposes extending and expanding tax cuts originally passed in 2017, while introducing additional breaks such as no taxes on tipped wages and exempting Social Security income from federal taxes. Altogether, the plan is expected to cost roughly $7 trillion over the next decade.
However, conservative Republicans remain concerned about the long-term deficit implications and the bill’s structure. At least a dozen GOP lawmakers, primarily aligned with the Freedom Caucus, refused to back the plan. Some even took the rare step of meeting with Senate GOP leadership to express dissatisfaction, led by Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.).
During a black-tie fundraiser earlier in the week, Trump criticized the internal dissent. “Stop grandstanding!” he reportedly said, urging Republicans to “close your eyes and get there.” But by Wednesday afternoon, despite direct involvement from Trump and a personal call with Johnson during negotiations, the bill still lacked the necessary votes.
Johnson met with members deep into the night, trying to hash out a compromise. Options on the table include amending the current Senate-approved version or forming a conference committee to reconcile House and Senate differences.
“We want everybody to have a high degree of comfort,” Johnson said, emphasizing that only a small group remained unsatisfied.
The Senate GOP passed their version of the framework over the weekend, but not without controversy. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Rand Paul (R-KY) voted against it—Collins objected to potential Medicaid cuts, while Paul criticized what he called “fishy math” in the budget estimates.
One of the major sticking points is how the bill addresses the federal debt ceiling, which is set to be breached by August. The House bill raises the debt limit by $4 trillion, while the Senate version pushes it to $5 trillion, aiming to avoid another politically sensitive vote before the 2026 midterms.
Another controversial element of the package is its provision of $175 billion for Trump’s mass deportation efforts and an equal amount for the Defense Department, fueling further disagreement over priorities.
Democrats, while in the minority and unable to block the bill outright, are sounding alarms. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called the GOP’s approach “reckless and callous,” accusing Republicans of slashing social programs to benefit the wealthy.
Central to GOP complaints is an unusual accounting trick being used in the Senate framework. It excludes the $4.5 trillion cost of extending the 2017 tax cuts from official budget calculations, which many conservatives argue obscures the real impact on the deficit.
Furthermore, the House GOP version includes sharp reductions to domestic spending, particularly healthcare and social safety net programs, in order to offset some of the bill’s cost. However, multiple Republican senators have expressed unease with such aggressive cuts.
Meanwhile, House Republicans inserted a procedural clause that blocks any move to oppose Trump’s tariffs, ensuring they remain in place amid ongoing trade conflicts. This signals the GOP’s continued alignment with Trump’s protectionist trade policies, which many believe contributed to recent economic volatility.
The budget debate is expected to continue for weeks, if not months, as both chambers turn their respective resolutions into a reconciled legislative product. With more votes on the horizon this summer, Johnson must now walk a political tightrope—balancing Trump’s demands, appeasing conservative skeptics, and avoiding a legislative embarrassment.
Despite Wednesday’s failure, Johnson said he remains confident that a deal will be reached. “We’re going to get there,” he told reporters, emphasizing that negotiations would continue through Thursday and beyond.
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