Sadiq S BhatWashington, DC — It is Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill." But the beauty, as ever, is in the eye of the beholder.
On Tuesday, the US President strode into Capitol Hill, demanding unity from a fractious Republican Party as he pressed for passage of a sweeping, 1,100-page legislative bill.
It's part budget, part wish list, part wrecking ball. And it is the clearest shot yet at implementing the full tilt of Trump's second-term domestic agenda — tax cuts, border clampdowns, fossil fuel expansion, and deep slashes to Medicaid, food stamps, and green energy.
But Trump's meeting with House Republicans wasn't all roses. Behind the scenes, Republicans are knotted up over how far and how fast they’re willing to go.
"I think it was really great. That was a meeting of love, let me tell you. That was love in that room," the President said.
Trump may call it a "meeting of love," but the cracks are visible.
The Bill in brief
The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" is a budget reconciliation package, meaning Republicans can technically pass it in the Senate with a simple majority.
It's designed for speed, not consensus. And with Trump at the helm, the GOP leadership hopes to deliver a clean legislative win before the summer recess.
The package includes several measures that would impact two of America's top safety net programmes — Medicaid and food stamps.
At the heart of the bill? A permanent extension of Trump's 2017 tax cuts. More cuts for high earners.
A $4,000 tax break for seniors, no taxes on tips and overtime, expanded child tax credits, and a doubling down on fossil fuels.
But also on the menu: $700 billion in Medicaid cuts, a $1,000 fee to apply for asylum, an ICE hiring spree, and a MAGA-branded savings account for newborns.
Trump has pushed tax cuts and highlighted that he only seeks to cut "waste, fraud and abuse" from Medicaid.
"We're not touching anything. All I want is one thing. Three words. We don't want any waste, fraud, or abuse," Trump said on Tuesday.
"Very simple. Waste, fraud, abuse. Other than that, we're leaving it, Medicare. We're leaving it all."
A House divided
In the House, it's a math problem. Republicans control 220 seats. They need nearly all to vote yes. But not everyone's on board.
The House Freedom Caucus (far-right GOP members) wants deeper cuts. SALT Caucus (state and local tax) moderates want relief for taxpayers in New York and California.
And some Blue-state Republicans — many facing tight reelection races — aren't keen on slashing food aid and Medicaid.
While House Speaker Mike Johnson is trying hard to keep the wheels turning, Democrats argue that the legislation is designed to benefit the wealthiest Americans.
"They literally are trying to take health care away from millions of Americans at this very moment in the dead of night," House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Monday.
The bill is stuck in the weeds also because some Republican holdouts want deeper cuts to slow the runaway debt, not just headline tax breaks.
They're pushing for tougher Medicaid work rules that kick in now, not years after Trump leaves office.
So, what does this mean globally?
This isn't just domestic theatre. Foreign capitals are watching.
The bill's defence boost, including funding for Trump's "Golden Dome" missile shield, signals a hardening US military posture.
A whopping $25 billion has been earmarked in next year's defence budget for the system, but the Congressional Budget Office estimates the US could have to spend more than $500 billion – over 20 years – to develop the "Golden Dome." Others estimate the cost would run in trillions. Others estimate the cost would run into trillions.
China and Russia, already wary of US assertiveness, are likely to view it as provocation. Trump's pullback on green energy could also alienate EU allies, particularly Germany and France, who've invested heavily in global climate commitments.
Tariff-based revenue plans are also alarming to allies. The bill assumes trillions in revenue from increased tariffs, effectively taxing imports from China, Mexico, and the EU.
That may trigger retaliatory trade moves and upend global supply chains.
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Firms like SpaceX, Anduril, and Palantir have made direct pitches to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth while Congressional Budget Office estimates full cost of developing a "viable Golden Dome" could exceed $500 billion over two decades.
The Trump factor
Trump's been hailing the bill as a panacea.
"We're going to have a bill, the one big, beautiful bill, I think it's going to be – It's the biggest bill ever passed, and we’ve got to get it done," the US President remarked.
The stakes are sky-high. Trump, according to media reporting, has told aides he doesn't want a repeat of 2017, when a similar effort to repeal Obamacare collapsed on the Senate floor.
This time, he's watching every vote.
With Memorial Day looming in the US, House leaders hope to force a floor vote. But delays are likely.
Even if it clears the House, the Senate may send it back with edits. Whether Trump accepts compromise — or digs in — will define the outcome.
For now, it's a familiar Trump-era equation: big promises, brutal math, and a Republican Party hurtling down the highway, uncertain if Trump's at the wheel or about to throw them under it.
