Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' Faces Major Setback Ahead of House Vote

President Donald Trump’s much-anticipated legislative package suffered a significant setback on Friday as the House Budget Committee failed to advance the measure, creating new uncertainty for GOP leaders aiming for a full House vote next week.

The bill—dubbed by Trump as his "big, beautiful bill"—was thrown into turmoil when five Republican members broke ranks and voted against it:

• Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas)
• Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.)
• Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.)
• Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.)
• Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.)

The legislation is sweeping in scope, reflecting the work of 11 separate House committees. It seeks to advance priorities central to the former president’s agenda, including border security, immigration reform, changes to the tax code, expanded energy production, defense spending, and an increase to the federal debt limit.

Tensions were evident even before the session began, as lawmakers and aides crowded the hallway outside the Budget Committee meeting room. Media outlets noted the uneasy atmosphere but had little insight into how the process would unfold once proceedings began.

A moment of surprise—and slight hope for GOP leadership—came with the unexpected arrival of Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas), who returned to Washington despite recently welcoming a newborn at home. His presence provided Republicans with a slim buffer, allowing them to lose two votes and still potentially push the bill through the committee.

However, this advantage was quickly tested. Roy, Norman, Clyde, and Brecheen left the room abruptly ahead of the vote, declining to comment. Upon their return, each lawmaker used opening remarks to criticize the legislation and express concerns about its fiscal and policy implications.

At one point, Rep. Ralph Norman called for a recess, urging colleagues to pause and address the concerns voiced by fiscal conservatives. “If they call for a vote now, it’s not going to end well,” Norman told reporters, insisting he was still waiting on assurances from party leadership.

Shortly thereafter, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) emerged from behind closed doors, stressing the urgency of advancing the bill. Although not a member of the Budget Committee, Scalise had been engaged in last-minute talks with the dissenting lawmakers.

Asked about the prospects for resolving the impasse, Scalise responded: “I just walked out of the meeting with [Norman] a few minutes ago as well. We’re working on some questions that Ralph and others have, and we’re going to be getting them answers as soon as we get them back from the Trump administration.” He acknowledged that the concerns expressed by the dissenters “are very specific questions, valid questions, we’re working on getting those answers right now.”

Despite these efforts, Friday’s setback casts doubt on the future of Trump’s signature legislative push and raises questions about whether House Republicans can unite behind the ambitious package in the days ahead.