Trump pitch fails to move GOP holdouts on agenda megabill
Source: The Hill
05/20/25 12:30 PM ET
President Trump’s forceful pitch for House GOP lawmakers to rally around the party’s “big, beautiful bill” fell flat Tuesday, as two groups of holdouts — hard-line conservatives and moderate blue-state Republicans — are still demanding changes to win their support.
During a nearly two-hour meeting in the Capitol basement, Trump urged Republicans to support his agenda bill as Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) self-imposed Memorial Day deadline for passing the package inches closer. The trouble was, he didn’t seem to change the minds he needed to.
“The president I don’t think convinced enough people that the bill is adequate the way it is,” said Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), the chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. Several members of the Freedom Caucus are among the loudest critics of the legislation. “I can’t support it the way it is right now,” he added. “We’re still a long ways away.” On spending cuts, the president urged lawmakers not to “f‑‑‑ with Medicaid,” as those on the right flank demand more muscular changes to the social safety net program.
On the state and local tax (SALT), meanwhile, the president pressed moderate Republicans from high-tax blue states to relent on their push for a higher deduction cap. Those moderates, too, are holding the line. “While I respect the president, I’m not budging on it,” Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), a prominent member of the SALT Caucus, said after the meeting with Trump.
Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5309603-trump-pitch-gop-holdouts-agenda-bill/
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That can only be good for Democrats.
