GOP Divided Over Trump’s Tax and Spending Bill \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ House Republicans are deadlocked over President Donald Trump’s flagship tax and spending plan, with conservatives rejecting a Senate GOP compromise as too soft on cuts. Speaker Mike Johnson is scrambling for votes amid economic volatility and looming recess. Trump’s push to unify his party is faltering.
Quick Looks:
- House conservatives reject Senate GOP’s budget framework as too weak.
- Trump’s $4.5 trillion tax cut package faces internal Republican resistance.
- Speaker Johnson lacks votes, urges urgency before spring recess.
- Senate deal includes $4 billion in cuts; House wants $2 trillion.
- Trump pressures Freedom Caucus in tense White House meeting.
- Rep. Chip Roy: “Still a no” after meeting Trump.
- Democrats oppose cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and social programs.
- Jeffries challenges Johnson to public budget debate.
Deep Look
Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful’ Budget Plan Faces GOP Revolt in House as Speaker Johnson Scrambles for Unity
House Speaker Mike Johnson is once again caught in a political squeeze — this time over President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending legislation, a centerpiece of the GOP’s 2026 domestic agenda. Despite a unified Republican front in the Senate, House conservatives are refusing to back the deal, arguing it doesn’t go nearly far enough to slash federal spending.
The core of the standoff: Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” which seeks to preserve $4.5 trillion in tax breaks passed during his first term and implement spending reforms to curb the national debt. But members of the conservative Freedom Caucus want up to $2 trillion in cuts — far more than the $4 billion minimum outlined in the Senate’s compromise package.
White House Summit Fails to Convince Holdouts
Trump summoned hardline Republicans to the White House on Tuesday for a high-stakes midday meeting, but it did little to move the needle.
“I’m tired of the fake math in the swamp,” said Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) ahead of the meeting.
Afterward, he was blunt: “I’m still a no.”
The meeting reportedly turned contentious, with Trump urging Republicans to unite behind the package. During a speech later that night to the National Republican Congressional Committee, he said:
“One little thing the Republican Party has to do is get together and damn vote… Close your eyes and get there. It’s a phenomenal bill.”
But many in the House weren’t swayed. Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) added,
“It doesn’t take a calculus wiz to know that doesn’t add up.”
Budget Battle Exposes GOP Fiscal Divide
The fight is exposing longstanding divisions within the GOP over fiscal policy. While many House Republicans insist on deep cuts to entitlement and welfare programs, Senate Republicans are signaling reluctance, particularly after a marathon overnight session where some broke ranks to oppose steep reductions.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) both supported symbolic amendments to protect Medicaid, drawing attention to the $800 billion in social safety net cuts included in the House framework.
Though none of the amendments passed, they showcased resistance to the kind of austerity-driven budget many House Republicans demand.
Economic Headwinds Raise the Stakes
The battle unfolds as Trump’s tariffs continue rattling global markets, and fears of a recession grow. Thousands of federal workers have been laid off in recent weeks under the guidance of Trump adviser Elon Musk, who now leads the Department of Government Efficiency — a new agency tasked with streamlining bureaucracy.
Speaker Johnson, acknowledging the economic pressure and a looming two-week spring recess, urged Republicans to act swiftly:
“We’ve got to get this done,” he said Tuesday.
Still, with a razor-thin majority, Johnson doesn’t have the votes — and Republicans remain divided over whether to accept the Senate’s framework or demand firmer commitments.
Democrats Attack, Jeffries Challenges Johnson
Democrats are unified in their opposition, calling the GOP’s approach a tax giveaway to the rich at the expense of vital social programs like Medicaid and SNAP.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a bold challenge to Speaker Johnson:
“Mano a Mano,” Jeffries posted on social media. “The American people deserve to know the truth.”
The Democratic leader called for a public debate over the competing visions for America’s fiscal future — a challenge Johnson has yet to accept.
Fractured House GOP Struggles for Consensus
With votes planned as early as Wednesday — and now likely to slip to Thursday or later — the GOP faces mounting pressure. At least several dozen House Republicans are withholding support, and internal talks have yielded no unified position.
Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO) called the Senate plan’s cuts “anemic.”
“I couldn’t sleep at night if I was part of exacerbating the federal deficit.”
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) questioned the Senate’s willingness to follow through:
“The trustworthiness of the Senate is suspect… It’s like you charge $100,000 for your house and I offer $1,000. How do you bridge that gulf?”
What’s Next?
As the GOP wrestles with the future of Trump’s domestic agenda, Speaker Johnson faces a political test of his leadership. With both chambers under Republican control and a united Democratic opposition, he must walk a tightrope — reconciling Trump’s demands with his conference’s ideological fractures.
Without a breakthrough, Republicans risk heading into recess with a key legislative failure on their hands — and rising uncertainty about how much influence Trump still holds over his own party.
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