House Freedom Caucus Opposes Trump's Budget Amid Deficit Concerns

President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson are actively working to persuade House Republicans, particularly the conservative Freedom Caucus, to support the Senate’s version of the expansive budget legislation known as the One Big Beautiful Bill. Despite Trump's efforts, including a White House meeting with caucus members, opposition remains strong due to concerns that the bill significantly increases the federal deficit—by estimates as high as $1.3 trillion—and violates the previously agreed-upon House budget framework of matching tax cuts with spending cuts. The Freedom Caucus, a hardline conservative group, has criticized the Senate’s changes for adding pork spending, diluting infrastructure investment cuts, and failing to fully remove undocumented immigrants from Medicaid rolls. Moderate Republicans also express unease about the bill’s impact on safety-net programs and state and local tax deduction provisions, complicating efforts to secure the few votes needed for passage. Speaker Johnson hopes to hold a final vote soon, but with more than three Republicans potentially opposing the bill, its future remains uncertain. The ongoing debate highlights deep divisions within the GOP over fiscal responsibility and the scope of Trump’s domestic policy agenda.