Senate Advances Trump’s $4.5T Tax Bill Amid GOP Divisions

President Donald Trump is pushing for swift passage of his "One Big Beautiful Bill," a sweeping $3.3 to $4.5 trillion package encompassing permanent tax cuts, defense spending increases, and significant cuts to social programs like Medicaid and food aid. Despite fierce intra-party debates and narrow votes in the Senate, including defections from Senators Thom Tillis and Rand Paul over Medicaid cuts and fiscal concerns, Republican leaders in the House aim to vote on the bill quickly to meet Trump's July 4 deadline. The legislation extends the 2017 tax cuts, introduces new deductions for workers and seniors, and promises substantial border security funding, but critics warn it risks hiking the national debt by trillions and jeopardizes health insurance for millions. Democrats oppose the bill as a giveaway to the wealthy and an attack on working families, while some moderate Republicans resist its social program cuts. The bill also rolls back clean-energy incentives, favoring fossil fuels, and is viewed by business groups as encouraging investment through extended tax breaks. With the House majority slim and opposition from both conservative and moderate Republicans, Speaker Mike Johnson faces pressure to unite the party to pass the centerpiece of Trump's second-term agenda.