House GOP Splits on Trump Tax, Medicaid Cuts/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ House Republicans are divided over President Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill, with internal battles erupting over how deeply to cut Medicaid and food aid. While key committees advanced the package, Speaker Mike Johnson faces resistance from both hardliners and moderates. Negotiations continue as Republicans aim to pass the bill by Memorial Day.
House Tax Plan Drama: Quick Looks
- GOP tax bill includes $5 trillion in cuts, offset by $1.5 trillion in safety net reductions
- Conservatives say Medicaid work requirements are too weak
- Moderates from high-tax states demand expanded SALT deductions
- 7.6 million could lose health insurance, says CBO
- 3 million fewer people may get SNAP food aid
- Democrats call it a ‘cruel, mean, rotten bill’
- Bill includes no taxes on tips, Social Security
- Speaker Johnson pushing for passage by May 26
Deep Look: GOP Faces Fracture Over Trump’s “Big, Beautiful” Tax Plan
WASHINGTON — May 15, 2025
President Donald Trump’s marquee legislative push — a sweeping tax and spending overhaul — has cleared key House committees, but cracks are forming within the GOP as lawmakers debate how far to go on cutting social programs like Medicaid and SNAP, as well as who benefits from the tax code changes.
After an intense overnight session, cheers erupted in the House Ways and Means Committee as Republicans approved the core of the $5 trillion tax cut package. Speaker Mike Johnson continues pushing the measure forward, but conservatives and moderates alike are airing grievances that threaten the plan’s passage.
“To say we have a gulf is an understatement,” said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas. “There is a significant number of us who could not bless this product.”
Key GOP Fault Lines
Conservatives, including members of the Freedom Caucus, argue that the proposed work requirements for Medicaid and food aid recipients are toothless. They want deeper cuts and earlier implementation — not in 2029, as currently planned.
Meanwhile, moderates from high-tax states like New York and California are refusing to back the bill unless it expands the SALT (state and local tax) deduction, currently capped at $10,000. Johnson’s offer to raise that to $30,000 for married couples has not satisfied lawmakers like Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., who called the bill a nonstarter in its current form.
“More sizzle than steak,” quipped Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., after a closed-door session with Johnson.
Budget Math and Political Cost
The package also faces scrutiny over its impact on deficits. Though Johnson is counting on $1.5 trillion in cuts — targeting Medicaid, SNAP, and green energy tax credits — conservatives say that’s not enough to offset the new revenue losses. Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., warned the plan reinforces “Obamacare” and pushes the GOP into a “surreal” position of funding it.
Democrats, meanwhile, have launched an all-out offensive. At a marathon session in the Agriculture Committee, Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., labeled the plan “cruel, mean, rotten.” House Energy and Commerce Democrats told stories of constituents who’d suffer under the Medicaid rollbacks.
The CBO estimates:
- 7.6 million fewer people could have health insurance
- 3 million monthly drop in SNAP recipients
- 40 million currently depend on food stamps
- 70 million rely on Medicaid
Trump’s Signature Tax Elements
Beyond renewing the 2017 Trump tax cuts, the bill includes several 2024 campaign promises:
- No federal income tax on tips
- Exemptions for Social Security benefits
- Increased child tax credits
- Larger standard deductions
- Raised SALT cap — still under debate
However, a Joint Committee on Taxation report warns that those earning under $15,000 would see a tax rate increase, even as higher earners benefit more.
What’s Next?
House GOP leaders are racing to pass the full package by Memorial Day. The bill is expected to reach the Budget Committee on Friday, where all elements will be stitched into one omnibus proposal.
If passed in the House, the bill faces a tougher test in the Senate, where several Republicans have already signaled discomfort with both the size of the tax cuts and the depth of the social program reductions.
Still, Speaker Johnson remains confident: “We’re still on target. The American people are counting on us.”
