Trump pushes Republicans to back ‘big, beautiful’ tax bill

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged skeptical Republicans to support his so-called “big, beautiful bill,” despite criticism that its tax cuts would worsen the country’s already massive budget deficit.

Trump described his talks with lawmakers on Capitol Hill as a “meeting of love” ahead of an expected tight vote later this week on the legislation, which he has made central to his second-term agenda.

The bill combines an extension of the tax cuts from Trump’s first term with steep government spending reductions aimed at offsetting the cost. However, the closed-door talks failed to fully assuage concerns—both from fiscal conservatives worried about ballooning debt and from moderates alarmed by potential cuts to healthcare for low-income Americans.

Wall Street stocks declined Tuesday as US markets, already rattled by a ratings downgrade last week, shifted focus to the fate of Trump’s proposal.

“There was no shouting, I think it was a meeting of love,” Trump told reporters after the talks, standing alongside Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson. “We’re going to have a great victory.”

Trump warned that Americans would face steep tax hikes if the bill fails. It also includes provisions on immigration and other priorities.

Johnson is aiming to bring the bill to a vote later this week. But with Republicans holding only a razor-thin majority in the House, nearly every member’s support is crucial.

The speaker remained optimistic as the bill headed for final revisions in the influential Rules Committee, which scheduled an unusual overnight meeting starting at 1:00 am (0500 GMT). That panel represents the last procedural step before a full House vote—and could still derail the bill by withholding clearance.

“Nothing in Congress is ever easy, especially when you have small margins,” Johnson said. “But we are going to land this plane and deliver this.”

Yet divisions within the party persist.

Health care divisions

Conservative lawmakers are pushing for deeper spending cuts to address the growing national deficit. Moderates, meanwhile, warn that such cuts would result in millions of low-income Americans losing Medicaid health coverage.

Some hardliners are also upset that proposed work requirements for Medicaid wouldn’t take effect until the end of Trump’s term.

Multiple US media outlets reported that Trump, addressing the issue in the meeting, told Republicans: “Don’t fuck around with Medicaid.”

Moderate Republicans worry that aggressive cuts to the popular health program could harm the party’s chances in the 2026 midterm elections.

Another sticking point is the group of so-called SALT Republicans, who want larger deductions for state and local taxes. Tensions rose after Trump publicly criticized some members by name, prompting several to text Johnson that they still planned to vote against the bill.

Trump argued that the tax deductions would primarily benefit Democratic state governors.

The president has pushed the bill as an early legislative success in his second term, following a chaotic start marked mostly by executive orders. But independent congressional analysts estimate that the bill’s tax provisions would add more than $2.3 trillion to the national debt over the next decade.

The legislation—now formally titled the “One Big Beautiful Bill” after Trump’s initial nickname—cleared a key hurdle on Sunday by advancing out of the House Budget Committee.

Still, it faces significant challenges ahead. Even if it passes the House, the bill is likely to encounter stiff opposition in the Senate, where Republicans are demanding major revisions.