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GOP leaders seek to quell debt revolt

2 1
05.06.2025
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REPUBLICAN LEADERS are working to quash a revolt over debt in President Trump’s agenda bill amid fierce criticism from Elon Musk and new projections from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

The nonpartisan CBO said Wednesday that Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” would add $2.4 trillion to the national deficit over the next 10 years, largely driven by tax cuts, which will decrease government revenue by $3.6 trillion.

Furthermore, the CBO said 11 million people would lose health insurance, either through Medicaid cuts or efforts to pare back the Affordable Care Act.

The White House and GOP Congressional leaders are going on the offensive against the CBO, casting it as a partisan organization that’s been wrong about their projections in the past.

“We’ve got a referee who likes to sack our quarterback a lot,” said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.).

Republicans insist the CBO is underestimating growth projections, arguing that deregulation and tax cuts will serve as an engine for economic growth.

However, Trump’s trade war got a boost from the CBO, which found government revenue from tariffs would reduce deficit levels by $2.5 trillion over the next 10 years.

Still, GOP leaders are rushing to keep a lid on the brewing revolt over debt, which has been supercharged by Musk, who has fired off more than a dozen social media posts over the past 24 hours calling the bill an “abomination” and threatening to oust Republican lawmakers who vote for it.

Musk on Wednesday called on Republicans to "kill the bill," saying on X that "a new spending bill should be drafted that doesn’t massively grow the deficit and increase the debt ceiling by 5 TRILLION DOLLARS."

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Trump is “not delighted” that Musk “did a 180” on the budget bill, which comes as the clock ticks down toward the GOP’s self-imposed deadline to get the legislation through the Senate and then back through the House with almost no margin for error.

Johnson cast Musk’s dissent as driven by concerns about personal profits because the bill will end subsidies for electric vehicles (EVs) used by Tesla.

“I know that the EV mandate is very important to him; that is going away because the government should not be subsidizing these things as part of the Green New Deal,” Johnson said. “I know that has an effect on his business and I lament that.”

There are at least nine GOP senators who are undecided on the bill. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) can only afford to lose three members for the bill to pass the upper chamber.

At least three GOP senators who oppose the bill are citing debt concerns for their opposition, including Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.).

Paul says he won’t vote for the bill because it raises the debt ceiling by several trillion dollars. Trump on Wednesday called for abolishing the debt ceiling altogether.

Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee will meet with Trump to discuss a way forward on Wednesday afternoon.

HOUSE CONCERNS GROW

If the Senate reaches consensus, could debt concerns imperil the bill when the revised version is sent back to the House?

The Hill’s Mike Lillis and Mychael Schnell capture the House dynamics here:

“If they stand on principle and oppose the package over deficit concerns, they would sink legislation that combines virtually all of Trump’s domestic policy goals and campaign promises, including an immigration crackdown and sweeping tax cuts Republicans consider must-pass items. If they support the package to lend Trump a huge win, they would be voting to grow the same deficit spending they’ve characterized as an existential threat to the nation’s future well-being.”

Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) warned Wednesday during The Hill’s “

© The Hill