Thursday, July 3, 2025
Thursday July 3, 2025
Thursday July 3, 2025

Trump dares GOP to oppose $4.5 trillion tax cuts in high-stakes House showdown

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Trump’s tax and spending cuts race toward July 4 finish as GOP rebels face threats and warnings

Republican leaders in the House are careening toward a decisive vote on President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending cuts package, gambling on party unity and presidential pressure to deliver a victory by July 4 — or face Trump’s wrath.

The bill, which includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts over the next decade, narrowly passed the Senate Tuesday by a single vote, with Vice President JD Vance breaking the 50-50 deadlock. Within hours, House Speaker Mike Johnson vowed to bring the Senate’s version directly to the floor without changes.

“The American people gave us a clear mandate, and after four years of Democrat failure, we intend to deliver without delay,” said the House GOP leadership in a joint statement. But behind the scenes, deep divisions remain.

Conservatives have blasted the bill’s growing cost and temporary giveaways. Moderates from swing districts are fuming over Medicaid and food assistance cuts. Yet Republican leaders, cornered by the party’s de facto leader, are daring members to oppose him.

The president is watching closely. After North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis announced his opposition, Trump publicly attacked him and demanded a primary challenger. Days later, Tillis said he would not seek re-election. The message is clear: fall in line or get out.

Trump, in a Truth Social post, declared: “We can have all of this right now, but only if the House GOP UNITES… and does the right thing.” He slammed GOP “grandstanders” and urged members to send the bill to his desk by Independence Day.

The legislation makes Trump-era tax breaks permanent and adds new deductions — including tax-free tips and overtime, and a $6,000 break for most seniors. But the cuts come at a steep cost: the Congressional Budget Office projects the plan will balloon the deficit by $3.3 trillion over ten years.

In a bid to offset some of the spending, Republicans slashed Medicaid funding, added new work requirements for recipients, and shifted more food aid costs to states. Critics say these changes will devastate low-income families.

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House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries condemned the bill as “an atrocity,” accusing Republicans of “literally ripping the food out of the mouths of children, veterans, and seniors.” Democrats, unified in opposition, slammed the vote as rushed and politically motivated.

“We’re rushing not because the country demands it, but because he wants to throw himself another party,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, referring to Trump’s insistence on a July 4 finish.

Still, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise insisted there would be no further changes to the bill. “It’s not as easy as saying ‘I want one more change.’ One more change could collapse the entire thing.”

That has left swing-district Republicans and budget hawks fuming. One House GOP aide said bluntly: “We’re being asked to eat a Senate bill we didn’t write, barely saw, and know could backfire.”

The Tax Policy Center estimates the bill would yield modest benefits for low-income Americans — just $150 on average — while the top 20% would see nearly $11,000 in cuts compared to a scenario where 2017’s tax cuts expire.

Whether the bill passes Wednesday or implodes under the weight of internal rebellion will determine not just the fate of Trump’s economic agenda — but also the balance of power within the GOP.

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