Trump’s sweeping tax-cut bill clears key hurdle in house amid GOP infighting

In a rare legislative victory for President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, a sweeping tax-cut bill won approval from the House Budget Committee on Sunday night after days of Republican infighting over government spending.

The breakthrough came during an unusual evening session on Capitol Hill, where four hardline conservatives, who had blocked the measure just two days earlier, relented and allowed the bill to advance.

Their decision followed intense closed-door negotiations with Republican leadership and senior White House officials.

The legislation, which includes broad tax reductions for individuals and businesses, has been a central pillar of Trump’s economic agenda since his return to office in January. But internal divisions among House Republicans — particularly over how to offset the bill’s projected $1.8 trillion cost — threatened to derail it.

Speaker Johnson, who has struggled to unite a fractious GOP conference, praised the committee’s decision as a “critical step forward” for American workers and families.

“This legislation puts more money in the pockets of hardworking Americans, restores U.S. competitiveness, and demonstrates that Republicans can govern with purpose and discipline,” Johnson said in a statement late Sunday.

The four dissenting members of the committee — all aligned with the House Freedom Caucus — did not reverse their opposition outright but allowed the bill to proceed while continuing to push for deeper spending cuts in future appropriations bills.

“We’re not giving anyone a blank check,” said Rep. Mark Green (R-TN), one of the holdouts.

“But we recognize the importance of moving this process forward while we work on real fiscal reforms.”

White House officials welcomed the committee vote as a sign of growing momentum, noting that Trump remains committed to pairing tax relief with spending discipline.

The bill is expected to reach the House floor for a full vote later this week, though its fate in the narrowly divided Senate remains uncertain.

Several Senate Republicans have expressed concerns about the deficit impact, and Democrats have universally opposed the plan, calling it a windfall for the wealthy.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) dismissed the House bill as “another reckless Trump tax cut that will explode the deficit and do nothing for working Americans.”

Despite the hurdles ahead, Sunday’s vote marked a symbolic and strategic win for Trump and Johnson, both of whom have faced mounting pressure to deliver legislative results after months of internal discord and stalled priorities.

With campaign season looming and economic growth slowing, Republicans are betting that delivering tax relief could energize their base — and give Trump a legislative win to tout on the trail.