Trump Reacts to ‘Great, Big, Beautiful Bill’ Senate Vote

President Donald Trump has hailed the Senate’s narrow vote to advance his flagship bill, celebrating it as a “great victory” for his agenda as Republicans rush to deliver the legislation by July 4.

The Senate voted 51-49 to open debate on the One Big Beautiful Bill, bringing it one step closer to landing on Trump’s desk ahead of the self-imposed deadline.

“Tonight we saw a GREAT VICTORY in the Senate with the ‘GREAT, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL,’ but, it wouldn’t have happened without the Fantastic Work of Senator Rick Scott, Senator Mike Lee, Senator Ron Johnson, and Senator Cynthia Lummis,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

Why It Matters

The $4 trillion package would permanently extend $3.8 trillion in expiring benefits while dedicating $350 billion in spending to fund Trump’s mass deportation plans. However, proposed cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs have caused public fractures within GOP ranks.

What To Know

Two Republican senators, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Rand Paul of Kentucky, defied Trump and joined all Democrats in voting against it.

“Did Rand Paul Vote “NO” again tonight? What’s wrong with this guy???” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Trump also threatened to support primary challenges against Senator Tillis over his opposition to the spending bill.

“Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against ‘Senator Thom’ Tillis,” he wrote.

“I will be meeting with them over the coming weeks, looking for someone who will properly represent the Great People of North Carolina and, so importantly, the United States of America. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

Trump’s flagship legislation would combine several of his key domestic priorities. The bill includes spending cuts aimed at offsetting the costs of the tax cuts signed into law by Trump during his first term in 2017, while also increasing funding for the military, oil exploration and immigration enforcement.

It would eliminate taxes on tips and the House version allocates $8 billion to hire 10,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents over the next five years.

To compensate for lost revenue, Republicans proposed substantial cuts to social programs, though some GOP lawmakers have expressed concerns over cuts to health care access via Medicaid.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected that under the House version, about 10.9 people would lose health care coverage, and at least 3 million fewer would qualify for food assistance. Meanwhile, top earners would see reductions of roughly $12,000 while the poorest Americans could experience an estimated $1,600 increase in costs.

The CBO estimates that the House version would add $2.4 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade, although Republicans dispute this figure. The bill’s passage would significantly alter federal spending priorities and tax policy, affecting millions of Americans across various income levels.

“It is very clear people don’t want this extreme amount of debt and reckless spending,” Rand Paul wrote in a post on X.

What People Are Saying

Trump in a post on Truth Social: “VERY PROUD OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TONIGHT. GOD BLESS YOU ALL!”

Republican Senator Thom Tillis in a statement on Saturday: “I did my homework on behalf of North Carolinians, and I cannot support this bill in its current form.

“It would result in tens of billions of dollars in lost funding for North Carolina, including our hospitals and rural communities. This will force the state to make painful decisions like eliminating Medicaid coverage for hundreds of thousands in the expansion population, and even reducing critical services for those in the traditional Medicaid population.”

Republican Senator Rand Paul in a post on X: “How about this: tweak the Big not so beautiful bill so it doesn’t add so much to the debt? The legislation, as currently written, would pay someone like Elon Musk $1000 per child, and we know how prolific he is . . . No offense, Elon, but Is that a wise use of our $$?”

Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer, Senate minority leader, in a post on X: “They are scrambling to pass their radical bill, released in the dead of night, praying Americans don’t realize what’s in it.”

What Happens Next

The bill will proceed to debate in the Senate, where lawmakers may propose amendments. If any changes are made to the bill, it must return to the House for approval before moving forward. Both chambers need to agree on the final version of the bill for it to advance to the president’s desk for signing into law ahead of the July 4 deadline.