Trump tries to persuade, and threaten, GOP to back his budget bill

The Washington Post ^ | May 20, 2025 | Cleve R. Wootson Jr. and Marianna Sotomayor

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The massive tax and immigration bill, which is central to Trump’s second-term plans, faces continued resistance from both moderates and GOP hard-liners.

President Donald Trump carted his bully pulpit to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, trying to persuade — and, at times, threatening — congressional holdouts to back the White House’s budget bill, which could determine whether he regains the momentum he had early in his second administration or sees his agenda stall.

The massive tax and immigration bill, which is central to Trump’s second-term plans, narrowly passed the House Budget Committee on Sunday and faces continued resistance from both moderates and GOP hard-liners concerned about spending. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) and his leadership team must muscle the legislation through the House’s historically narrow majority, where they can lose only three Republicans for a successful vote.

Their trump card, at least on Tuesday, was the commander in chief himself, who accused some of the Republican holdouts of grandstanding but expressed confidence that his “unified party” would ultimate push a bill through Congress. But he also suggested that Republicans who continue to balk could face a Trump-backed challenger in their primary races.

“There are one or two points that some people feel strongly about,” Trump said just after arriving at Capitol Hill. “Taxes would go up if this doesn’t pass. What Republican could vote for that to happen? Because they wouldn’t be a Republican much longer.”

Behind closed doors, the message was more strongly worded. Trump told the caucus “Don’t f--- around with Medicaid,” according to two people in the conference meeting. He also urged House Republicans to drop their objections and follow Johnson’s lead.

The in-person persuasion campaign was a recognition that the stakes are high for both the president and the GOP-controlled Congress...

[Carry_Okie]

Why Trump apparently hasn't backed the conservatives in getting the RINOs to drop Medicare and Medicaid for illegals is most concerning.

Tax cuts and SALT are one thing, blowing the dough is another.

[Dick Bachert]

A Trump Republican? Need a little something to boost the blood pressure?

The short, comprehensive & common sense-spot-on commentary at the link below should do it!

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https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/new-thinking-needed-on-national-defense/

[catnipman]

“Trump tries to persuade, and threaten, GOP to back his budget bill”

if i remember correctly, that’s the first time in U.S. history that a President persuaded and/or threatened Congress to pass his agenda ... completely unprecedented ...

[Fledermaus]

👍

[Srednik]

Sez the “Proud First Generation Peruvian-American” who is not related by blood and only by world view to Sonia Sotomayor.

[Carry_Okie]

if i remember correctly, that’s the first time in U.S. history that a President persuaded and/or threatened Congress to pass his agenda ... completely unprecedented ...

Maybe not. I still remember Nixon "jawboning" Congress. Almost nobody really knows what that entailed.

[gwjack]

So I’ve been thinking - I know that is dangerous. Why threatening the Republicans that helped him get 78 million votes, and ran on the same financial cuts and plans that the country called for? Methinks it is the easy way to reach a goal, but contrary to the campaign.

Perhaps PDJT should reach out to individual Democrat members. After all. He reaches out to Iran, Syria, China, Russia, and North Korea. We live in a unified country, I thought. Ignoring the possibility of bringing Democrats on board for a good bill is a blemish on the procedure. I was once told that the thing that set Bill Clinton apart was that he would meet you (a staunch conservative) at a meeting, and spend hours trying to sway you instead of talking only with his supporters. I think it is time that PDJT override the political division and climate, and allow Democrats to carry some of the burden.

Gwjack

[citizen]

Same deal....another MAJOR liberal source from this thread poster.

[Vaduz]

He went to them and told them not to f*** with Medicare.