President Donald Trump‘s sweeping budget package faces a bumpy road in Congress as Republican lawmakers work to meet House Speaker Mike Johnson‘s Memorial Day deadline, balancing tax cuts with spending priorities that have divided the party.
What Happened: The ambitious “one big, beautiful bill” combines tax breaks, spending cuts and increased border security funding, with House committees approving portions largely along party lines. Republicans have made most progress on spending increases, approving approximately $350 billion for the Pentagon and Homeland Security, while tax cuts remain unfinished, reported the Associated Press on Monday.
“There are some bumps in the road,” acknowledged Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, on Fox News Sunday.
The immigration portion includes $46.5 billion for border wall construction and $4 billion to hire 3,000 new Border Patrol agents. The plan aims to deport 1 million migrants annually and imposes new fees, including a controversial $1,000 charge for asylum seekers.
Defense spending would increase by $150 billion, including $25 billion for Trump’s “Golden Dome” missile defense system and $21 billion to restock ammunition supplies.
What Happened: Trump has drawn clear boundaries for negotiators, telling TIME Magazine he would veto any bill cutting Social Security or Medicaid. “If it cuts it, I would not approve,” Trump said, limiting changes to efforts targeting “waste, fraud and abuse.”
Trump has also expressed openness to increasing taxes on millionaires, sparking fierce opposition from conservatives. Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist called it a “really bad idea,” warning such a move could be “political death” for Trump.
According to the Committee for Responsible Federal Budget, Trump’s proposed tax cuts could reduce federal revenue by up to $11.2 trillion over the next decade, potentially pushing U.S. debt to 149% of GDP without offsetting spending reductions.
If House Republicans manage to pass their version, the legislation will face additional hurdles in the Senate, which is drafting its own package with hopes of finalizing it before the August recess.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has promised to fight what he calls the “extreme Republican agenda.”
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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