President Trump’s flagship legislative package stalled in the House Budget Committee as several Republicans broke ranks.

Trump’s Comprehensive Bill Falters Ahead of Floor Vote

President Donald Trump’s signature legislative effort—dubbed the “big, beautiful bill”—suffered a significant defeat on Friday after it failed to advance out of the House Budget Committee. The bill, which consolidates policy proposals from 11 House committees, was designed to push forward Trump’s agenda on border security, taxes, defense spending, immigration reform, and the national debt ceiling.

The failure to pass the committee marks a substantial setback for House GOP leadership, who had anticipated a full House vote next week. Five Republican members—Reps. Chip Roy of Texas, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, and Lloyd Smucker of Pennsylvania—voted against the legislation, citing a range of unresolved concerns.

The committee meeting, held at the Cannon House Office Building, began under tense circumstances. Emotions ran high even before deliberations started, with members shuttling in and out of the room, signaling deep internal divisions. The surprise arrival of Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas—who had been expected to miss the vote due to the recent birth of his child—briefly gave GOP leaders optimism that they could still afford to lose two Republican votes and move the bill forward.

That optimism was short-lived. Shortly after entering the room, four dissenting Republicans—Roy, Norman, Clyde, and Brecheen—walked out without commenting, only to return minutes later and voice sharp criticisms of the proposal. Rep. Norman called for a recess during the meeting, warning, “If they call for a vote now, it's not going to end well.” He emphasized that he was still awaiting commitments and clarifications from House GOP leadership.

Leadership Scrambles to Salvage Support

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., who is not a member of the committee but had been engaged in last-minute negotiations with holdouts, addressed reporters during the meeting. “I just walked out of the meeting with [Norman] a few minutes ago,” Scalise said. “We’re working on some questions that Ralph and others have, and we’re going to be getting them answers as soon as we get them back from the Trump administration.”

Scalise noted that the concerns raised by Norman echoed those of Roy and others, and that they were seeking detailed responses on specific provisions. “They’re valid questions,” he acknowledged, “and we’re working hard to resolve them.”

The defeat in committee presents a significant political challenge for the Trump administration and GOP leadership, both of whom had invested considerable political capital in the sweeping legislative package. Without the support of fiscal conservatives and internal unity, the bill’s path to a successful floor vote remains uncertain.

As deliberations continue, House Republicans face the dual challenge of reconciling ideological differences within their caucus while maintaining momentum for the legislative priorities of the Trump presidency. The outcome of ongoing negotiations will likely determine whether the bill can be salvaged—or if it marks a deeper fracture within the GOP’s legislative ambitions.