President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending legislation has hit a turbulent patch in the U.S. House of Representatives, where a small but defiant faction of Republican lawmakers is stalling what could become the defining policy achievement of Trump’s second term.
The high-stakes bill, which passed the Senate earlier this week in a dramatic overnight session, narrowly cleared a crucial procedural vote in the House after 3 a.m. EDT Thursday. But the final passage remains uncertain, as Republican infighting threatens to derail the legislation despite the party’s control of both chambers of Congress.
With a Friday deadline set by Trump himself, lawmakers worked through the night amid intense pressure from the former president and his allies, who are scrambling to unify the GOP caucus.
At the heart of the dispute are several contentious provisions, including the extension of Trump-era tax cuts from 2017, significant reductions in Medicaid funding, and major increases in defense and border security spending—two key pillars of Trump’s agenda.
“The House is ready to vote tonight,” Trump posted on social media late Wednesday, insisting the party was “united” and vowing the bill would deliver “massive growth.”
But not all Republicans are on board. South Carolina Representative Ralph Norman, who attended a White House meeting earlier that day, emerged unconvinced. Other holdouts have raised concerns about the bill’s long-term impact on the federal deficit, healthcare services, and the broader economy.
Democrats, as expected, have rejected the bill outright, criticizing what they see as fiscal irresponsibility and harmful cuts to essential social programs. But it’s the internal GOP rift that poses the greatest threat to Trump’s legislative victory.
Despite the resistance, many in Washington believe Republicans will eventually fall in line, as they have in past confrontations with Trump. Still, the narrow margins and the sheer scale of the legislation—reportedly one of the largest tax and spending packages in recent U.S. history—have left room for last-minute drama.
If passed, the bill would mark a historic recalibration of the U.S. fiscal framework, cementing Trump’s influence over the GOP and setting the tone for the remainder of his second term in office.
As the House braces for a final vote, all eyes remain on the remaining Republican dissenters—and whether Trump’s signature mix of persuasion and pressure will be enough to bring them into the fold.
