GOP divided over Trump-backed bill as House debates intensify

President Donald Trump made several posts on Wednesday morning in support of his “Big, Beautiful Bill.” The US House of Representatives narrowly voted for the consideration of the resolution to his proposed tax and spending package by a 212-211 margin. 

Trump began the day quite active on his Truth Social platform, touting the bill’s impact if passed by the House. “Nobody wants to talk about GROWTH, which will be the primary reason that the Big, Beautiful Bill will be one of the most successful pieces of legislation ever passed,” the POTUS wrote.

In another post, he claimed that the bill will do more than take the US on an economic upswing, saying: 

“THE ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL DEAL IS ALL ABOUT GROWTH. IF PASSED, AMERICA WILL HAVE AN ECONOMIC RENAISSANCE LIKE NEVER BEFORE. IT IS ALREADY HAPPENING, JUST IN ANTICIPATION OF THE BEAUTIFUL BILL. DEFICIT CUT IN HALF, RECORD INVESTMENT CASH, FACTORIES, JOBS POURING INTO THE USA. MAGA!!!”

– POTUS

GOP divided over Trump-backed bill as House debates intensify

Despite the president’s confidence on social media, liberals may find a way to close down the path of the bill to the Oval Office, amendments made or not. The vote to consider the resolution passed by a single vote, meaning there could be a division even within the Republican ranks.

US House convenes after Senate passes Trump's tax-cut and spending bill https://t.co/hdvMo8XQvh

— Reuters (@Reuters) July 2, 2025

The vote enables debate to begin earnestly on the House floor, but does not guarantee final passage.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said he is working to bring lawmakers from different ideological factions within the GOP together for a meeting, so that the legislation is passed before Trump’s July 4 legislative deadline. 

“I’m talking to everybody,” Johnson said, noting ongoing discussions with holdouts and House members wary of the bill’s provisions.

House GOP Majority Leader Steve Scalise supported Johnson’s sentiments, revealing members had reservations on changes made by the Senate. 

“Some of them take us a little bit backwards, some of them are a little bit better,” he told reporters Wednesday, but insisted the bill still carried “the Trump agenda.”

Scalise was certain that questions were expected during the process and said GOP leadership had succeeded in the past at flipping undecided or dissenting votes. Still, some conservatives are withholding support until substantive amendments are made.

“Unless something changes, I’m a no,” GOP leader Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina said.

Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee bashed his fellow party members for what he called a familiar bait-and-switch tactic. 

“We’re hearing the same line: ‘Let’s pass this and we’ll fix it later.’ We never fix it later, and America knows that,” he surmised, walking into the Capitol Building. “I don’t care if it’s July 40th, honestly.”

Several other conservative House Republicans are reportedly visiting the White House later today to raise their objections directly with the president, focused on federal deficits and social spending programs.

“Republicans, don’t let the Radical Left Democrats push you around. We’ve got all the cards, and we are going to use them,” Trump said in one of his Truth Social posts.

Bill includes cuts on Medicare and massive tax reductions

The legislation includes $4.5 trillion in tax reductions and proposes to raise the federal debt ceiling by $5 trillion, $1 trillion more than the House’s original version passed in May. It also mandates significant cuts to federal health and nutrition programs, including Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

According to several economists, including those from Yale University’s Budget Lab, the bill is likely to benefit high-income earners while putting increased pressure on lower-income Americans.

KEY Difference Wire: the secret tool crypto projects use to get guaranteed media coverage