Freedom Caucus Revolts, Trump Budget Faces Delay/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ House Republicans are facing internal revolt over President Trump’s budget bill, as hardliners reject last-minute changes. The SALT tax cap and lack of deeper spending cuts are key sticking points. A vote is now unlikely before Memorial Day.
Trump Budget Bill Showdown Quick Looks
- Freedom Caucus Pushback: Rep. Andy Harris says bill “got worse overnight”
- SALT Cap Uproar: Blue-state deal sparks backlash from conservatives
- Trump Mediation: White House calls key holdouts for urgent meeting
- Vote Delay Likely: Speaker Johnson lacks the votes to pass the bill today
- Deficit Concerns: Nonpartisan report shows $3.8T debt increase over 8 years
- Medicaid Work Rules: Negotiations over rollout timeline continue
- GOP Split: Hardliners demand more cuts, moderates resist deep slashes
- Legislative Clock Ticking: Memorial Day recess looms over stalled bill
- House Rules Committee: Still debating amendments, timing unclear
- Trump’s Agenda at Risk: Budget bill central to domestic policy platform
Deep Look: GOP Infighting Derails Trump Budget Bill as Vote Falters
WASHINGTON — May 21, 2025 — Speaker Mike Johnson’s attempt to rally Republicans behind President Donald Trump’s sweeping budget and tax bill is facing a dramatic late-stage collapse, as hardline conservatives threaten to torpedo the legislation over key fiscal and policy disputes.
“There is no way it passes today,” declared Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), chair of the House Freedom Caucus, in a blunt interview with Newsmax. “This bill actually got worse overnight.”
Harris and other conservatives are furious over a late-night compromise to raise the cap on state and local tax (SALT) deductions — a priority for Republicans from high-tax states — without equivalent spending cuts. The compromise, intended to lock in support from blue-state GOP lawmakers, has only deepened divisions within the party.
SALT Cap Sparks Conservative Revolt
The proposed increase of the SALT cap to $40,000 for joint filers quickly became the lightning rod for discontent.
“That SALT cap increase, I think, upset a lot of conservatives,” Harris said. “Conservatives are pushing for some balancing spending reductions.”
Negotiators had worked toward an agreement that included Medicaid reforms and a rollback of certain green energy subsidies. But Harris said a tentative deal was pulled off the table before midnight, throwing talks into chaos.
White House Steps In, Calls Emergency Meeting
Amid the standoff, the White House requested a meeting between Trump and key Republican holdouts, including Harris and other members of the House Freedom Caucus, to salvage the legislation.
The meeting is expected to take place Wednesday afternoon, just hours before a potential floor vote — one Speaker Johnson insisted Tuesday he still hoped to hold.
“There is a chance for a vote today,” Johnson told reporters Wednesday, though privately, aides admit the whip count is not in his favor.
Deficit Warning Adds Fuel to the Fire
Adding to the internal drama is a nonpartisan report from the Congressional Budget Office, which estimates the bill could add $3.8 trillion to the deficit over eight years.
Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.), a self-described deficit hawk, acknowledged the fiscal hit but suggested the bill may be the only way to implement Trump’s agenda.
“It’s going to [add to the deficit], absolutely. It’s not as good as I want it to be,” he said.
Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) called the legislation fiscally irresponsible:
“It spends more money than the status quo. That’s how we wind up so far in debt.”
Legislative Logjam: Medicaid, Energy, and the Rules Committee
Speaker Johnson has already agreed to move up Medicaid work requirements from 2029 to 2027, but hardliners are still demanding further entitlement cuts and deeper rescission of clean energy credits tied to the Inflation Reduction Act.
The House Rules Committee is currently reviewing amendments to the 1,000+ page package, but it’s unclear when the bill will emerge for a floor vote.
“Hopefully it will fail in a way that keeps the negotiations and the bill alive,” said Harris.
Trump’s Agenda in Jeopardy
The bill — dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” — is a pillar of Trump’s second-term domestic strategy, combining tax cuts, energy rollbacks, and border security enhancements.
Trump himself has publicly pressured House Republicans to unify behind the measure. After a closed-door meeting Tuesday, he called dissenting Republicans “fools” for opposing the plan.
Outlook: Can the GOP Close the Gap?
With only a handful of votes to spare, Johnson must balance demands from deficit hawks, moderates, and Trump loyalists — a task that appears to be unraveling.
A source close to leadership admitted:
“There is currently a zero percent chance this thing moves today.”
You must Register or Login to post a comment.