In a narrow 218-214 vote early Thursday, House Republicans pushed through a massive piece of legislation packed with Donald Trump’s key domestic policies — handing the former president a major win, but dealing what critics call a devastating blow to millions of Americans.
“This is one big, beautiful bill,” declared House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) before the vote. “We are gonna make this country stronger, safer and more prosperous than ever before.”
But the fine print tells a different story.
The bill includes huge tax breaks mostly benefiting the rich, deep cuts to Medicaid and nutrition assistance, a $150 billion surge in border enforcement and deportations, and a green light for more drilling and fossil fuel production. It also adds $3.3 trillion to the national deficit, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
“This is a scam,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). “A reverse-Robin Hood that robs working families to fatten up the wealthy.”
Jeffries launched an 8-hour, 44-minute marathon speech on the House floor — the longest in history — to delay the final vote and blast the bill, calling out Republicans for giving the public barely any time to understand what’s inside. “I’m going to take my sweet time,” he warned, before sharing stories of Americans who could lose health coverage under the new law.
The bill passed with only two Republicans — Reps. Thomas Massie (Ky.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.) — joining all Democrats in voting no. Even some Republicans who initially opposed the bill caved after pressure from Trump and his inner circle. Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), who flipped his vote, admitted: “One of the other persuasive things was just looking at the Democrats’ reaction to it. Well, maybe the bill is better than I thought.”
Behind the scenes, the vote was chaos. GOP leaders held open a routine five-minute procedural vote for nearly 14 hours as they scrambled to flip last-minute holdouts. Johnson even gathered Republicans on the House floor at 3:30 a.m. to pray for unity — and victory. By sunrise, Republicans were celebrating. Democrats were furious.
“This bill will take away health coverage from millions of Americans,” said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.). “All to give billionaires a tax break.”
The bill folds in nearly every piece of Trump’s second-term wishlist:
Extends and expands Trump’s 2017 tax cuts.
Wipes out taxes on tips and some Social Security income.
Raises the SALT cap to help wealthy earners in high-tax states.
Slashes Medicaid and food assistance programs.
Pours billions into Trump’s border wall and immigration crackdowns.
Guts green energy credits while promoting oil, gas, and coal.
Hikes the debt ceiling by $5 trillion, with no real plan to pay for it.
The White House played a central role in locking in GOP votes. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance personally met with skeptical lawmakers, and Trump’s budget chief, Russ Vought, worked the Capitol halls. In the end, almost every Republican fell in line.
“This lays the cornerstone of America’s new golden age,” Johnson said. But for many Americans — especially the sick, the poor, and the vulnerable — it could signal the beginning of a much harsher era.
Democrats were unable to block the bill, but they’ve made it clear: they’ll make Republicans pay at the polls.
“You’ve just given us the clearest contrast heading into the next election,” Jeffries said. “And we’re going to make sure the American people know exactly what’s in this bill.”
For now, Trump gets his victory. The rest of the country gets the bill.
