House Republicans worry even Trump can't save them as tax cuts, budget bill hang in balance
'I don't see it happening,' one House Republican said of Trump pushing through his 'big, beautiful bill'
By Elizabeth Elkind , Deirdre Heavey Fox News
Published April 8, 2025 12:47pm EDT
House Republicans are in disarray ahead of an expected Wednesday afternoon vote to advance the Senate's version of a massive bill advancing President Donald Trump's agenda.
Several people who spoke with Fox News Digital said they were concerned that even the president may not be able to sway holdouts ahead of a planned Wednesday vote – despite Trump's ability to do so on key pieces of legislation on multiple occasions this year.
"This one is tough to tell," one senior House Republican said when asked if Trump could persuade enough critics to pass the legislation. "There's a level of distrust, historically – that from [$1.5 trillion] to $4 billion, it's like, why did we go so low?"
Fiscal hawks' chief concerns with the bill lie in the differences between minimum mandatory spending cuts.
The House's version, which the chamber passed in late February, calls for at least $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion in federal spending cuts to offset the new spending for Trump's priorities on defense, the border and taxes.
The Senate passed an amendment to the House version over the weekend that, while closely mirroring the lower chamber, called for at least $4 billion in spending cuts.
Sources told Fox News Digital that there are as many as 30 to 40 people who have at least shared serious concerns about the bill.
Some skeptics are expected to be part of a group of House Republicans heading to the White House on Tuesday afternoon to meet with Trump.
But at least three lawmakers who have shared concerns about the bill – Reps. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., Ralph Norman, R-S.C., and Keith Self, R-Texas – said they were not invited.
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