In a dramatic blow to President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda, the GOP-controlled House Budget Committee has voted to reject his administration’s sweeping tax and spending proposal — a development that underscores deep divisions within the Republican Party and leaves Trump’s economic agenda in jeopardy.
I spoke with Congressman Tom Suozzi about where things stand and whether this rebellion within the GOP will hold. Meanwhile, Donald Trump is reportedly growing anxious that his “big, beautiful bill” might fall apart.
Minutes ago, the committee voted 16–21 against advancing the bill, with five conservative Republicans joining all Democrats in opposition. The defeat is a stinging embarrassment not only for Trump but also for House Speaker Mike Johnson, who had championed the plan in recent weeks as a centerpiece of the administration’s second-term economic strategy.
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The failed vote puts the Trump administration on the back foot as it tries to build momentum heading into the 2026 midterms. Speaker Johnson, a key Trump ally, had invested significant political capital in pushing the bill through committee, hoping it would frame the GOP’s message heading into the summer.
Instead, the vote has exposed a fractured Republican majority and raised questions about the viability of Trump’s broader legislative agenda.
With the bill dead in committee, House GOP leadership must decide whether to revise the proposal or scrap it altogether. Conservative hardliners are demanding deeper spending cuts, while moderates worry about the political blowback of slashing domestic programs.
For Trump, the defeat is more than procedural — it’s symbolic. It’s the first major legislative rebuke of his second term and a stark reminder that his grip on the party, though still strong, is not absolute.
As budget season heats up, all eyes will be on how — or if — the President can recalibrate and regain control of the legislative narrative.
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