US President Donald Trump’s long-promised budget bill, often called his “big, beautiful bill,” ran into trouble on Friday. Surprisingly, five Republicans joined all Democrats to stop it in Congress. As a result, Trump’s domestic agenda suffered a major setback.
Republicans Push for More Spending Cuts
Although the bill failed the vote, it could still pass if changes are made. However, those five Republicans insisted the current version didn’t go far enough. They demanded deeper cuts to government programs.
Earlier, Trump had succeeded in pushing other tight votes through. This time, however, party unity broke down. In response, he posted on Truth Social, “We don’t need ‘GRANDSTANDERS’ in the Republican Party. STOP TALKING, AND GET IT DONE!”
GOP Faces Internal Division
Meanwhile, opinions among Republicans remain divided. Some want even more spending cuts. Others worry the proposed changes will hurt programs like Medicaid, which helps many low-income Americans.
In particular, the five Republicans who voted “no” want two key changes. First, they want Speaker Mike Johnson to slash Medicaid further. Second, they demand a full repeal of green energy tax cuts added by Democrats.
Texas lawmaker Chip Roy voiced his strong opposition. “This bill falls profoundly short,” he said. “It does not do what we say it does with respect to deficits.”
What’s Inside the Bill?
The bill would extend the tax cuts that Trump passed during his first term. In addition, it includes a new policy that would eliminate taxes on tips, something Trump often promotes.
However, critics argue the bill mostly helps wealthy Americans. While Trump highlights benefits for workers, many say the real winners are the rich.
Democrats Sound the Alarm
At the same time, Democrats strongly oppose the bill. They argue that cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act would harm millions. These programs provide affordable healthcare for many low-income families.
Pennsylvania Democrat Brendan Boyle warned about the risks.
“No other previous bill, no other previous law, no other previous event caused so many millions of Americans to lose their healthcare. Not even the Great Depression,” he said.
Massive Price Tag
Finally, if the bill passes, it would cost $3.72 trillion over ten years. This estimate comes from the bipartisan Joint Tax Committee in Congress.
