Today's News: GOP Hardliners Stall Trump’s Megabill Over Spending Disputes
Five conservative Republicans joined Democrats to vote against advancing the bill, citing concerns over its projected deficit increase and delayed implementation of cost-saving provisions.
Photo: Tom Brenner/For The Washington Post
Overview
Date: May 16, 2025
Topic: GOP Hardliners Stall Trump’s Megabill Over Spending Disputes
Summary: President Donald Trump’s flagship legislative package, the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” aimed at enacting sweeping tax cuts, increasing defense and immigration spending, and rolling back clean energy subsidies, was blocked in the House Budget Committee. Five conservative Republicans joined Democrats to vote against advancing the bill, citing concerns over its projected deficit increase and delayed implementation of cost-saving provisions. The rejection exposed deep intra-party divisions, particularly between hard-right fiscal hawks demanding immediate spending cuts and moderates wary of political fallout. Despite Trump’s public pressure to unify behind the bill, House GOP leadership must now renegotiate key provisions over the weekend in an effort to revive the legislation ahead of a Memorial Day deadline.
Sources
The New York Times: Conservatives Imperil G.O.P. Megabill That Would Fulfill Trump’s Agenda
CNN: GOP hardliners defy party leaders and Trump as they vote to block agenda
NBC News: Conservatives block Trump agenda bill from advancing in major setback for GOP leaders
Fox News: Handful of Republicans sink Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' in key House committee
The Washington Post: GOP hard-liners block Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ on taxes, immigration
The Wall Street Journal: Conservatives Block GOP Tax Megabill, Demand Changes
Key Points
Five GOP hardliners joined Democrats to block Trump’s legislative package in the House Budget Committee, citing its failure to immediately cut deficits.
Primary concerns include delayed Medicaid work requirements (starting in 2029) and gradual phase-outs of clean energy tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act.
GOP leaders are attempting to reconcile demands from both fiscal conservatives and moderates representing swing districts concerned about benefit cuts and SALT deduction limits.
Trump, despite urging unity on social media, has not directly engaged with dissenters; his influence did not sway the vote.
Republican leadership aims to renegotiate the bill and hold another vote as early as Monday, hoping to meet a Memorial Day deadline for passage.
Unique Highlights
CNN: Revealed Rep. Andrew Clyde’s unrelated demand to deregulate gun suppressors and details of House Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s comments about awaiting answers from Trump administration officials.
Fox News: Noted the unexpected arrival of Rep. Brandon Gill from paternity leave to shore up votes, and reported on the fiscal hawks’ dramatic pre-vote walkout.
The New York Times: Provided deficit impact analysis from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget ($3.3 trillion increase).
The Washington Post: Highlighted the internal risk to Johnson’s speakership and parallels to past leadership ousters tied to fiscal clashes.
The Wall Street Journal: Included moderate Republicans’ resistance to deeper cuts and complaints about insufficient SALT relief from New York and California members.
NBC News: Quoted Freedom Caucus commitments to continue weekend negotiations and mentioned broader dissatisfaction from both conservative and blue-state Republicans.
Contrasting Details
CNN and Fox News suggested Trump’s absence and lack of direct outreach undermined his influence, while The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times emphasized his general push for unity but did not explore its ineffectiveness.
Fox News cast the vote as a “massive blow” and emphasized intraparty rebellion, whereas NBC News and The Washington Post portrayed it as a procedural setback that could be resolved.
The Wall Street Journal and CNN emphasized the budget process’s mechanics and vote-counting strategy, while The Washington Post focused more on factional dynamics and the broader stakes for GOP leadership stability.
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