Thune Fast-Tracks Trump’s Megabill Despite Internal Hurdles/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Senate Majority Leader John Thune is accelerating efforts to pass President Trump’s sweeping megabill by July 4. The bill faces internal GOP friction over spending cuts, Medicaid, and tax policy, but Thune is negotiating hard. Trump is personally lobbying senators, while final tweaks are expected before a late-June floor vote.
Thune’s Megabill Push: Quick Looks
- Rapid Timeline Set: Senate committees will release revised bill text by next week with limited markup expected.
- Trump Involved in Whip Count: Trump is personally calling skeptical GOP senators to lock in votes.
- Internal Divides Persist: Key issues include Medicaid changes, social spending cuts, and SALT tax deduction limits.
- Rand Paul a Definite ‘No’: Paul opposes any debt ceiling increase included in the bill.
- Ron Johnson on the Fence: Johnson demands deeper cuts; Thune says GOP is working toward his support.
- Susan Collins Seeks Rural Hospital Protection: Concerned about impact of Medicaid changes on smaller communities.
- Behind-the-Scenes Tweaks: Final negotiations will happen privately, with committee votes left to chair discretion.
- Final Floor Vote Nears: Bill expected to be ready for Senate passage by the last week of June.
Deep Look: Thune Scrambles to Secure GOP Votes for Trump’s Megabill
WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader John Thune is racing against the clock to deliver President Donald Trump’s $4 trillion megabill through the Senate before July 4, even as the legislation faces pushback from within the Republican ranks.
In an exclusive interview, Thune detailed a compressed legislative timetable designed to steer the sprawling GOP package—nicknamed the “Big Beautiful Bill”—to final passage before Independence Day. Senate committees are expected to release final text revisions by next week, and most changes will be hashed out behind closed doors.
“We’re going to move fast,” said Thune. “There’s a ton of tradeoffs you have to make, but I think we have a handle on how to navigate them.”
Trump the Closer
President Trump remains deeply involved, according to Thune, personally reaching out to senators with concerns about the legislation. Trump is focused on locking in votes from both fiscal hardliners and moderates who want program safeguards.
“He’s very engaged,” Thune said, calling Trump “the closer” when it comes to swaying tough votes. The president is expected to meet Wednesday with members of the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees both tax reform and Medicare.
Tough Negotiations Ahead
The bill still faces multiple internal hurdles, with Thune acknowledging ongoing negotiations over:
- Debt Ceiling Provisions: Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has flatly opposed any measure that includes a debt ceiling increase.
- Deep Spending Cuts: Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) is demanding trillions in additional reductions to federal programs.
- SALT Tax Deduction: The House proposal to limit deductions for state and local taxes is facing strong opposition in the Senate.
- Medicaid Adjustments: Senators like Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) are pressing the White House over changes that could hit rural hospitals and safety-net programs.
- SNAP Funding Shifts: The House wants states to co-fund SNAP (food stamps), but Thune says many GOP senators oppose shifting costs.
“We’re working on options that save money without hurting the states,” Thune said, after meeting with Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman (R-Ark.).
Low-Profile Committee Work
Despite the scale of the legislation—estimated at over 1,000 pages—Thune confirmed that formal committee votes are optional, leaving most of the rewriting and dealmaking to be done privately. Only a few panels may hold public markups.
“We’ve given each committee the choice,” Thune said. “Some will likely hold votes, but none have committed yet.”
The Senate Finance Committee is expected to release the most critical text by next week, covering the bill’s largest components, including tax breaks, Medicare changes, and business incentives.
Crunch Time in Late June
After internal tweaks, Republicans aim to finalize the package during the third week of June, fine-tuning it to secure 51 votes—potentially relying on Vice President JD Vance as the tie-breaker.
“Probably in the last two weeks of June, we really start homing in on getting ready to get it to the floor,” Thune said.
He is also coordinating with House Speaker Mike Johnson, who wants the Senate to avoid major alterations. But Thune made it clear some changes—especially on SALT and Medicaid—are inevitable.
A Balancing Act with High Stakes
Despite deep internal debates, Thune expressed confidence the bill will clear the Senate, albeit narrowly. He called the task akin to a game of Whac-A-Mole, requiring continuous adjustment to keep consensus intact.
“At the end of the day, everyone has to decide: is this better than the status quo?” Thune said. “Because if we don’t pass this, we go backward.”
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