House Republicans Fall In Line As Trump’s Sweeping Tax and Spending Bill Advances

 

After days of threats and internal rebellion, a group of House Republican holdouts has reversed course and agreed to advance President Donald Trump’s ambitious tax and spending package—setting the stage for a potential final vote.

The bill, which has drawn criticism from both conservative hardliners and moderate Republicans, cleared a key procedural hurdle in a narrow 219–213 vote early Thursday morning. Only one Republican, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, voted against the rule that governs debate on the legislation.

Some conservatives had voiced strong opposition to the bill’s projected $3.3 trillion addition to the deficit over the next decade, while moderates raised concerns about Medicaid cuts. Despite those objections, GOP leaders—alongside Trump and his team—spent hours lobbying key members in a push to secure enough support.

With final passage expected later Thursday, Republican leaders believe they now have the votes to send the bill to Trump’s desk—though margins remain tight, and the outcome is not guaranteed.

Trump and Vice President JD Vance held a series of meetings throughout the week with skeptical lawmakers, including bringing in Dr. Mehmet Oz, the official overseeing Medicaid, to explain the bill’s impact on provider taxes and rural hospitals. According to Rep. Dusty Johnson of South Dakota, those efforts were swaying opinions: “Members are moving to yes.”

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise credited Trump directly for helping move the needle: “The president from day one has been our best closer.”

Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson are aiming to finalize the legislation in time for a July 4 signing, a symbolic goal with little margin for error. With full attendance, Republicans can only afford three defections.

The package includes significant tax cuts, Pentagon and border security funding, and controversial reductions in federal safety net programs—such as new work requirements for able-bodied adults on Medicaid and SNAP. It also fulfills key Trump campaign promises, including eliminating taxes on tips and overtime pay.

Despite White House pressure, some conservatives remain defiant. Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, a prominent member of the House Freedom Caucus, blasted the Senate version of the bill and demanded more spending restraint. “We say, ‘Take it or leave it,’ all right? The Senate doesn’t get to be the final say on everything,” Roy said before heading to the White House.

The Freedom Caucus released a memo outlining more than a dozen objections to the bill, including weakened energy tax credits, increased deficit concerns, and diverging Medicaid provisions.

Their chairman, Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland, refused to attend the White House meeting and maintained his opposition. Another skeptical voice, Rep. Keith Self of Texas, said he wasn’t invited at all.

Still, the bill’s earlier Senate passage was a major victory for Trump after weeks of Republican infighting. The legislation aims to reshape tax and domestic spending policy, delivering what supporters call historic cuts to government programs and fulfilling Trump’s long-standing pledge to cut federal bureaucracy.

Yet not all Republicans are aligned. Over the weekend, Sen. Thom Tillis shocked observers by announcing he would not seek re-election—just a day after Trump publicly threatened to back a primary challenger over his opposition to the bill.

Tensions remain high in the House, where the vote on the rule was delayed for hours as leadership scrambled to prevent a conservative revolt. The House Rules Committee narrowly approved it after a marathon 12-hour session, with GOP Reps. Chip Roy and Ralph Norman siding with Democrats in opposition.

Some Republicans continue to push back on the July 4 deadline. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a vocal fiscal hawk, criticized the timeline as “arbitrary” and reaffirmed his opposition: “There’s no reason to bankrupt the country because you want to go shoot off some fireworks.”

As the clock ticks down, Trump and his allies face one final push to unify their fractured conference and deliver a legislative win that could define the early years of his second term.