President Donald Trump’s hallmark tax cut and spending legislation ran into serious trouble in the House late Wednesday, despite a full-court press by the White House and Republican leadership to win over a fractured party.
Nicknamed the One Big Beautiful Bill by Trump, the sweeping package cleared an initial procedural hurdle with a razor-thin 220–212 vote along party lines. But momentum quickly evaporated when a second crucial motion failed, derailed by five Republican defectors from the party’s fiscal conservative wing who refused to support advancing the bill.
Lawmakers held the first vote open for more than seven hours, during which Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson scrambled behind closed doors to persuade holdouts. But their efforts fell short, marking a major setback for the president’s push to finalize the bill before his self-imposed July 4 deadline.
A visibly frustrated Trump lashed out on Truth Social just after midnight:
“Largest Tax Cuts in History and a Booming Economy vs. Biggest Tax Increase in History, and a Failed Economy. What are the Republicans waiting for??? What are you trying to prove??? MAGA IS NOT HAPPY, AND IT’S COSTING YOU VOTES.”
The bill, which narrowly passed the Senate on Tuesday following heated debate, has faced criticism for its massive cost and controversial policy changes. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the legislation would add $3.4 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade. Provisions include nearly $900 billion in Medicaid cuts, a $5 trillion debt ceiling hike, and a rollback of major green energy investments.
Democrats remain united in opposition.
“This bill is catastrophic. It is not policy, it is punishment,” said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) on the House floor.
With a narrow 220–212 majority, Speaker Johnson can afford no more than three defections. The conservative Freedom Caucus, led by Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), has emerged as a major obstacle, objecting to the bill’s cost and structure.
“He knows I’m a ‘no,’” Harris said. “There aren’t enough votes to move this forward unless there are serious changes.”
Earlier in the evening, House Republican Whip Tom Emmer had struck a hopeful tone, predicting a vote would happen followed by full debate. But the whip count collapsed in real time.
The legislation is a cornerstone of Trump’s second-term agenda, containing permanent extensions to his 2017 tax cuts, increased immigration enforcement funding, and sweeping cuts to social safety net programs. It also raises the debt ceiling to avert a potential government default.
Trump convened a last-minute meeting with GOP dissidents at the White House in a bid to rally support. Still, concerns remain within the party over the political risk of cutting Medicaid and the long-term implications of escalating national debt.
With time ticking and divisions deepening, the future of Trump’s signature legislative push now hangs in the balance.
