Sen. Ron Johnson: Trump-Backed GOP Bill will Sink like ‘The Titanic’/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Sen. Ron Johnson compared House Republicans’ sweeping reconciliation bill to the Titanic, predicting it will fail in the Senate. The Wisconsin senator criticized both excessive spending and President Trump’s unstable tariff policy. Johnson called instead for smaller, targeted legislation focused on lasting tax reform and reduced economic volatility.
GOP Tax Bill Turbulence Quick Looks
- Sen. Ron Johnson calls House bill “the Titanic”
- Says it fails to sufficiently reduce government spending
- Prefers permanent 2017 tax cuts, not a mega-package
- Warns Trump’s tariff war creates “enormous uncertainty”
- Trump backs all-in-one “big, beautiful bill” strategy
- Senate passage faces strong headwinds from within GOP
- Democrats criticize Trump’s tariffs as inflationary
- Sen. Wyden: Tariff deals have yielded “very little”
- Bipartisan concern grows over economic impact of trade war
- Johnson won’t back limits on Trump’s tariff powers—yet
Deep Look: GOP’s Mega Tax Bill May Sink in Senate, Johnson Warns
WASHINGTON, D.C. — May 14, 2025 — As House Republicans prepare to push through a sweeping tax and spending package dubbed the “big, beautiful bill” by former President Donald Trump, Sen. Ron Johnson has emerged as one of its most vocal skeptics, comparing the measure to a sinking ship.
“I think that’s the Titanic,” Johnson said Wednesday. “I think it’s going down.”
Johnson, a three-term Republican senator from Wisconsin, argued the $5 trillion reconciliation bill fails to return the U.S. to pre-pandemic fiscal discipline, and instead risks compounding inflation and uncertainty already fueled by Trump’s aggressive tariff agenda.
Internal GOP Divide Widens
While Trump has firmly backed the House bill — which includes extensions of the 2017 tax cuts, new deductions, and deep cuts to Medicaid and food assistance — Johnson called it “a mistake.” He urged instead for a series of smaller, targeted bills, including:
- A clean extension of the 2017 tax reforms
- A short-term debt ceiling lift
- A streamlined tax system to calm markets
Despite his critiques, Johnson acknowledged he isn’t trying to directly undercut Trump’s negotiating position.
“He’ll take care of trade,” Johnson said. “Really, there’s nothing that we can do.”
Tariffs Trigger Economic Uncertainty
Much of Johnson’s frustration centers around Trump’s tariff policies, which he said have injected “enormous instability” into the economy and made long-term planning difficult for American manufacturers and consumers alike.
“The whole trade war has created massive uncertainty,” Johnson said, pointing to Trump’s on-again, off-again tariff announcements.
Senate Democrats, including Finance Chair Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), echoed that concern.
“Tariff rates are now five times higher than before Trump took office,” Wyden said. “And for what? China got a tariff reduction. What did we get? Essentially nothing.”
Bipartisan Anxiety Over Trade Strategy
Despite shared anxieties, Johnson has not endorsed bipartisan bills that would restrict Trump’s authority to impose tariffs. Instead, he remains cautious, preferring to wait and see how the administration’s broader economic plan plays out.
“I don’t want to undermine whatever strategy he has,” Johnson said. “I just don’t know what it is.”
Wyden predicted GOP patience will erode as the economic pain from tariffs deepens, saying Republicans might only turn against Trump’s trade policy once voter outrage boils over.
What’s Next for the ‘Big Bill’?
House Speaker Mike Johnson aims to pass the package by Memorial Day, but with a razor-thin majority and dissent from GOP senators like Johnson, its future is far from certain. Any major defections in the Senate would likely force Trump’s team back to the drawing board.
Even Republican senators from high-tax states have threatened to withhold support unless the SALT deduction cap is raised.
“We’re still far from a deal,” said Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.), who met with leadership on the issue this week.
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