Trump struggles to convince Republican holdouts in Congress on tax bill

Reuters ^ | May 20, 2025 4:12 PM UTC | David Morgan, Bo Erickson and Nandita Bose

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Summary

• Trump meets with divided House Republicans
• Tax provisions, Medicaid cuts lead disputes
• Bill would extend tax cuts from Trump's first term

WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Tuesday pressed his fellow Republicans in the U.S. Congress to unite behind a sweeping tax-cut bill, but apparently failed to convince a handful of holdouts who could still block a package that encompasses much of his domestic agenda.

In a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill, Trump bluntly warned Republicans in the House of Representatives not to press for further changes to the sprawling bill, which would cut taxes and tighten eligibility for the Medicaid health program.

He strongly cautioned against further plans to make it more difficult for people to access Medicaid, a program for low-income Americans. "Don't fuck around with Medicaid," he told them, according to a person in the room who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Trump also discouraged Republicans from seeking further carve-outs for state and local tax payments - a niche issue that is especially important for moderate Republicans in high-tax states like California and New York.

The bill would extend the 2017 tax cuts that were Trump's signature first-term legislative achievement, and also add tax breaks on income from tips and overtime pay that were part of his populist push on the campaign trail. Nonpartisan analysts say it could add $3 trillion to $5 trillion to the federal government's $36.2 trillion in debt.

But Trump failed to convince some lawmakers who are pushing for those provisions.

“The president I don't think convinced enough people that the bill is adequate the way it is," said Republican Representative Andy Harris of Maryland, who leads the hard-right House Freedom Caucus and has been pushing for further Medicaid cuts.

Republican Representative Mike Lawler, a New York moderate who is pushing...

[ConservativeMind]

Congress—Codify the DOGE budget reductions now and those coming!

[griswold3]

Trump’s democratic party roots are showing. Ugh! I hate that we are not a serious country any longer. Debt is not wealth.

[faithhopecharity]

Eliminate federal income tax and the country will orofowr like never before

Start with honoring the campaign promises to lower taxes, remove the SALT deduction limitation, stop taxing retirement accounts and tips and overtime.

[hollywood12345]

maybe your hwve Democratic roots maybe you don’t understand that you get more revenue with growth and you can’t calculate a flat line budget. If you get growth you get reduction of budget. no growth will be bankrupt anyway. Growth,

[odawg]

“Trump’s democratic party roots are showing. Ugh!”

Trump is trying to get the ball rolling. The bill has to go to the Senate where it will be changed, and he said he likes what the Senate is proposing.

Ugh! You are such an idiot.

[ClearCase_guy]

I will support anything that will make the country orofowr.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Thry all need to get behind Trump or get out.

[Bob Wills is still the king]

“Congress—Codify the DOGE budget reductions now and those coming!”

---

Passing legislation is hard. We don’t do hard anymore.

[gwjack]

Mene —

I think we will have to agree to disagree this time. The additional spending and failure to employ the DOGE identified cuts, and delays on some cuts (in Medicaid) until after Trump is out of office, and failure to outright repeal all the Green projects and grants of the Biden administration, is a non starter for me. I suppose I think that the Republican Party and presidential candidate campaigned on all the cuts, and should follow through. Yes, hard decisions have to be made, but pet projects of some Reps are taking priority over what is best for the country. Be gentle, my FRiend.

Gwjack

P.S. I think Senator Ron Johnson has his arms around what to do - legislate in individual bills and not one huge, mass, omnibus bill. Yes. It will be difficult with small margins in both houses, but it is the thing to do. The omnibus will almost guarantee the Republicans will lose control of the House, and perhaps even the Senate, in 2026.

[dpetty121263]

Most of Congress dislikes Trump a lot...

[1Old Pro]

“The president I don't think convinced enough people that the bill is adequate the way it is," said Republican Representative Andy Harris

Doesn't sound definitive, just speculative.

[TiGuy22]

Do Ron Johnson and Rand Paul think they have a nationwide mandate? UGH

[faithhopecharity]

hi
forgive me but what means “orofowr?”

thanks

[mass55th]

Trump was a registered Democrat for only 8 years, from 2001-2009.

[cp124]

They will be former Congress members and are not really Republicans. Just another wing of the Democrap party.

[Pearfect]

Reuters STRUGGLES TO TELL THE TRUTH.

[ClearCase_guy]

I was responding to your comment at #4 where you said:

Eliminate federal income tax and the country will orofowr like never before

Just having fun. I figure it's a typo. I don't know what you meant to type.

[citizen]

MOre liberal propaganda from you.

[faithhopecharity]

Oops.

PROSPER ! The country will prosper without the damned income tax depressing everything