Trump to GOP holdouts before megabill advanced: ‘What are you trying to prove???'
'Largest Tax Cuts in History and a Booming Economy vs. Biggest Tax Increase in History, and a Failed Economy,' Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform shortly after midnight Thursday.
'What are the Republicans waiting for??? What are you trying to prove???' he continued. 'MAGA IS NOT HAPPY, AND IT'S COSTING YOU VOTES!!!'
A half hour later, the president added: 'FOR REPUBLICANS, THIS SHOULD BE AN EASY YES VOTE. RIDICULOUS!!!'
The rule on what could be a legacy-defining piece of legislation for Trump finally advanced in the lower chamber after 3 a.m. EDT. Heading into the vote, conservatives had warned that they would sink the procedural measure unless it was delayed beyond Wednesday.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) called their bluff, held the vote open for more than five hours and then adopted the rule after winning enough support — an effort that got a big boost from Trump, who spoke with some of the holdouts during the long, midnight impasse.
Leadership initially called the vote on the rule minutes after the president pressured Republicans to move the megabill forward Wednesday night.
'It looks like the House is ready to vote tonight. We had GREAT conversations all day, and the Republican House Majority is UNITED, for the Good of our Country, delivering the Biggest Tax Cuts in History and MASSIVE Growth,' Trump wrote shortly after 9 p.m.
'Let's go Republicans, and everyone else — MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!' he added.
After more than five hours, all eight Republicans who initially hadn't voted either way ended up voting for the rule, and four Republicans flipped their votes.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) — one of three House Republicans whose districts voted for Vice President Harris in 2024 — was the sole remaining 'no' vote on the rule.
Final passage on the legislation is expected at 8 or 8:30 a.m. EDT on Thursday, according to Johnson.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
24 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
President Trump wants to celebrate 250 years of independence with a UFC fight at the White House
The Republican president also announced a culminating festival on the National Mall in Washington, and a separate athletic competition featuring high school athletes from across the country. 'So every one of our national parks, battlefields, and historic sites are going to have special events in honor of America 250. And I even think we're going to have a UFC fight,' Trump said. Advertisement ″Think of this on the grounds of the White House. We have a lot of land there," he said, adding that it would be a 'full fight' with 20,000 to 25,000 people. Related : A White House spokesperson said they had no details to share beyond the president's announcement. Trump has recently enjoyed standing ovations and cage-side seats for several UFC fights, including an appearance immediately after his 2024 reelection and another just last month alongside White for two championship fights.
San Francisco Chronicle
26 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Trump wants to celebrate 250 years of independence with a UFC fight at the White House
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that he's thinking of staging a UFC match on the White House grounds with upwards 20,000 spectators to celebrate 250 years of American independence. 'We have a lot of land there,' said Trump, a UFC enthusiast who has attended several of its mixed martial arts matches in recent months and is close friends with Dana White, the league's president. Trump announced his plan in Iowa during the kickoff for a year's worth of festivities to celebrate America's 250th birthday on July 4, 2026. The Republican president also announced a culminating festival on the National Mall in Washington, and a separate athletic competition featuring high school athletes from across the country. 'So every one of our national parks, battlefields and historic sites are going to have special events in honor of America 250. And I even think we're going to have a UFC fight," Trump said. ″Think of this on the grounds of the White House. We have a lot of land there," he said, adding that it would be a 'full fight' with 20,000 to 25,000 people. Trump has recently enjoyed standing ovations and cage-side seats for several UFC fights, including an appearance immediately after his 2024 reelection and another just last month alongside White for two championship fights.
The Hill
27 minutes ago
- The Hill
Karl Rove: Big, beautiful bill will have ‘huge impact on 2026'
Republican strategist Karl Rove said Thursday the Congress-approved spending package will heavily influence the midterm election cycle next year. 'I think it'll have a huge impact on 2026, because remember, as these changes, particularly the Medicaid changes come into effect, they're going to have, people are going to be losing their coverage,' Rove said during an appearance on Fox News's 'America's Newsroom.' Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) decided to forego a re-election bid after voting against his party while urging lawmakers to strike the language regarding Medicaid provisions from the big, beautiful bill, marking a first major impact on the midterms. Rove lauded the Republican-backed 'big, beautiful bill,' however, cheering its new 80-hour-a-month work requirements for certain Medicaid recipients. 'The able-bodied, think about it, there was an interesting study done of able-bodied people on Medicaid, and that you know what their number one activity was if they weren't working? It was watching television, and number two was playing online games,' Rove told Fox News. The legislation is set to push millions off of Medicaid coverage and require twice-yearly eligibility check-ins instead of the previous annual evaluation. Rove encouraged GOP members to continue to lobby in favor of the bill as citizens prepare for sweeping cuts to take effect. 'Medicaid was meant for poor seniors, for children in poor families, and for the disabled, and we should not be paying for health care for people who are able-bodied, and can work, and are refusing to work. This is why they got to go on the offense. But yeah, it's going to be a big impact,' the Republican pundit said. 'And the work is just beginning. There's going to be always a tendency to say, 'We got the bill passed, oh let's all take the time off and good, we got it done.' Uh-uh, that's the requirement that you then go to work,' he added.
