House Republicans threaten to derail Trump’s landmark policy bill after Senate breakthrough

US President Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump’s signature domestic policy bill, hailed as a major victory after a narrow Senate passage, is now at risk of stalling in the House amid sharp dissent from within the Republican Party. Speaker Mike Johnson faces a critical test in managing his fractured caucus, as opposition hardens over new spending, Medicaid cuts, and fears of rising deficits, the New York Times reported.

The House must now approve the revised bill without amendment to meet Trump’s July 4 deadline. But with just a few GOP defections enough to block the legislation, its fate remains uncertain.

Changes in Senate fuel conservative backlash

While Speaker Johnson previously secured passage of the House version in May through a series of backroom deals and concessions, the Senate’s revisions have sparked renewed outrage. Conservatives who reluctantly supported the first version are now publicly criticizing what they view as a bloated and compromised package.

Representative Marlin Stutzman of Indiana, who had supported the House version, said the Senate's “unacceptable increases to the national debt” could no longer be ignored. Others, including Representatives Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Andy Ogles of Tennessee, outright rejected the bill, with Norman refusing even to support a procedural vote.

Representative Chip Roy of Texas called the Senate’s handling of clean energy tax credits “a deal-killer,” and Representative Andy Harris of Maryland, a member of the influential House Freedom Caucus, predicted the legislation would not meet Trump’s deadline and would require further negotiation.

Medicaid cuts create rift among moderates

In addition to objections over spending, more moderate Republicans are balking at the Senate’s deeper cuts to Medicaid. Representative David Valadao of California reiterated that he would not support a bill that “makes harmful cuts to Medicaid,” warning that the Senate’s version went too far beyond what he considered “reasonable.”

These cuts were introduced by Senate Republicans to offset the cost of new tax breaks and domestic investments. But they’ve alienated swing-district lawmakers whose constituents rely on Medicaid for healthcare access.

Trump increases pressure as deadline looms

With time running out, President Trump has intensified pressure on House Republicans to unite. On Tuesday, he urged his party to “ignore grandstanders” and deliver the bill without delay. In May, Trump personally lobbied lawmakers to back the bill—making calls and even appearing in person on Capitol Hill. A similar push may now be needed.

Yet Representative Warren Davidson of Ohio, who voted against the bill in May, doubled down Tuesday, saying the updated version still failed to address runaway spending. “Promising someone else will cut spending in the future does not cut spending,” he posted online, warning the country was headed for a “crash site.”

Speaker Johnson’s narrow path

With a slim majority and only three votes to spare, Speaker Johnson now faces the challenge of bringing his caucus in line for a final vote without reopening negotiations that could send the bill back to the Senate. Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky has already pledged to vote against the bill again, making Johnson’s task even harder.

Despite the obstacles, Republican leaders are working behind the scenes to avoid a high-profile collapse. But as more lawmakers voice concerns and threaten to withdraw support, the outcome remains far from certain.

The fate of President Trump’s biggest domestic initiative now hinges on a deeply divided House—and a speaker walking a political tightrope.