Trump’s Bill Blocked by Conservatives in House Budget Committee/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Trump’s sweeping tax and spending proposal, dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” suffered a major blow Friday after House GOP hardliners joined Democrats to reject it in a key Budget Committee vote. With internal fractures widening, Republican leadership now scrambles to salvage the bill before Memorial Day.
Trump Tax Plan Collapse: Quick Looks
- Budget Committee rejects Trump’s signature fiscal package 16–21
- Five Republicans joined Democrats in voting no
- Speaker Mike Johnson’s coalition crumbles amid Medicaid and SALT disputes
- Trump lashes out at GOP “grandstanders” online
- Medicaid work rules, SALT cap, and gun issues split Republicans
- Johnson vows to keep pushing before Memorial Day deadline
- Trump’s agenda stalls as conservatives demand deeper cuts
Deep Look: GOP Infighting Sinks Trump’s Tax Bill in Key Committee Vote
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s hallmark “One Big Beautiful Bill” hit a wall Friday as a group of House Republican hardliners voted with Democrats to block it in the House Budget Committee. The defeat, delivered in a 16–21 vote, marks the biggest legislative setback of Trump’s second term and raises major questions about Speaker Mike Johnson’s ability to unify his party.
The bill was intended to fast-track Trump’s promises of tax relief, budget cuts, and increased immigration enforcement. Instead, it collapsed under the weight of Republican infighting—particularly over Medicaid reforms and tax deductions for high-tax states like New York.
The GOP Civil War
Their concerns centered on:
- Delayed implementation of Medicaid work requirements (set for 2029)
- Insufficient cuts to clean energy subsidies
- Lack of action on GOP priorities like deregulating gun suppressors
Rep. Roy warned that the bill front-loads tax cuts and backloads savings. “We are writing checks we cannot cash,” he said during Friday’s meeting. Rep. Norman added, “I’m a hard no until we get this ironed out.”
“Something needs to change or you’re not going to get my support,” said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas.
Rep. Clyde also pushed for gun-related policy changes, demanding the deregulation of firearm suppressors be included—an ask that complicated budget rules and risked further fracturing Johnson’s fragile coalition.
“Sadly,” Ralph Norman (S.C.), “I’m a hard no until we get this ironed out.”
Trump Responds: “Get It Done!”
As the committee vote neared, Trump posted to Truth Social:
“Republicans MUST UNITE behind ‘THE ONE, BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL!’ We don’t need GRANDSTANDERS in the Republican Party. STOP TALKING, AND GET IT DONE!”
Despite his pressure campaign, the bill crumbled under the weight of GOP division.
Trump, returning from the Middle East, was reportedly in contact with aides throughout the process. However, key conservative members, including Rep. Norman, said they had not heard from the president directly.
A Speaker Under Siege
Speaker Mike Johnson took a high-risk gamble by proceeding with the vote despite uncertain support. “We’re working on answers,” said Majority Leader Steve Scalise. “Some of them, we need to get from the Trump administration.”
Johnson and House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington worked overnight to build consensus but fell short. The speaker could only afford to lose two Republican votes—he lost five. In a last-ditch effort, Rep. Brandon Gill was summoned back to Washington just hours after his wife gave birth to their second child, but it wasn’t enough.
What’s in the Bill
The defeated legislation included:
- Extension and expansion of Trump-era tax cuts
- New exemptions on tips, overtime, and auto loans
- A $32,000 standard deduction for joint filers
- A $500 increase to the child tax credit
- $350 billion for deportation and defense initiatives
To pay for it, the bill proposed:
- Repealing Biden-era clean energy tax credits
- Cutting over $1 trillion from Medicaid and food assistance
- Imposing strict work requirements on SNAP and Medicaid recipients
Democrats: “One Big, Beautiful Betrayal”
Democrats unanimously opposed the bill, calling it cruel and fiscally irresponsible. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) labeled it “one big, beautiful betrayal,” and Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.) warned the cuts would “leave kids hungry, hospitals closed, and families uninsured.”
“That is bad economics. It is unconscionable,” said Rep. Brendan Boyle, the top Democratic lawmaker on the panel.
The Congressional Budget Office projected:
- 7.6 million Americans would lose health insurance
- 3 million fewer people would receive monthly SNAP benefits
What’s Next?
Though the Budget Committee vote is a significant setback, it doesn’t end the bill’s chances entirely. GOP leadership now faces the difficult task of rewriting key elements to placate both conservatives and moderates. But every change risks losing votes from the opposite flank of the party.
Negotiations are expected to continue through the weekend. Trump, whose political capital is deeply invested in the bill, will likely weigh in again soon as leadership scrambles to resurrect the package ahead of the Memorial Day deadline.
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