CALITODAY (July 3, 2025) — The MAGA faction of the Republican Party believes that President Trump is entering the Fourth of July holiday with a string of remarkable victories — from Supreme Court rulings and foreign policy milestones, to a drop in illegal border crossings and the likely passage of a “Big and Beautiful” bill that packs in many of Trump’s top legislative priorities.
This wave of positive momentum comes as Trump continues to consolidate power within the Republican Party, while Democrats are still struggling to craft a unified message to oppose the Trump administration.
“President Trump is delivering win after win for the American people, and we’re the hottest country in the world right now,” declared White House Press Secretary Liz Huston.
“He’s just had the best 7 to 10 days of both of his presidential terms,” said GOP strategist Ford O’Connell.
O’Connell praised Trump’s recent foreign policy achievements — including airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, increased defense commitments from NATO allies, and progress toward a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Foreign Policy Victories Fuel Domestic Momentum
Trump’s winning streak arguably began on June 21, when the U.S. launched airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities that Trump claimed were completely “wiped off the map.” He also announced a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran.
Shortly after, Trump scored another win during the NATO summit in the Netherlands, where he successfully pushed members to raise defense contributions to 5% of GDP.
On Tuesday, Trump announced that Israel had agreed to terms for a 60-day ceasefire in war-torn Gaza. Trump urged Hamas, the ruling authority in Gaza, to accept the terms — though no agreement has yet been finalized.
In trade policy, Trump scored again as Canada backed down from its plan to impose a digital tax on U.S. tech companies. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Canada had “caved” to Trump, who had threatened to end trade talks if the tax passed.
On Wednesday, Trump also announced a draft trade agreement with Vietnam — a notable move ahead of his self-imposed July 9 deadline to finalize deals before new tariffs kick in.
Domestically, Trump claimed another win last week when the Supreme Court sided with him, blocking lower courts from issuing nationwide injunctions to halt his executive order on birthright citizenship. While the ruling didn’t strike down the program entirely, it limited the reach of lower court judges, whom the White House often criticizes as “extreme” or biased.
The “One Big Beautiful Bill”
Passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill — a massive tax and spending package — could be the “icing on the cake” for Trump. The Senate passed the bill on Tuesday after hours of debate and returned it to the House for final approval.
The bill would extend Trump-era tax cuts from 2017, eliminate taxes on tips (a promise Trump made on the campaign trail), and increase funding for border security — a top priority in Trump’s agenda.
However, obstacles remain before the bill reaches Trump’s desk. His goal of signing it into law by July 4 is now in jeopardy.
Some House Republicans are still skeptical, fearing that the Senate version would worsen the federal deficit. Still, Trump and his allies believe the bill will pass, as most House GOP members don’t want to risk becoming a political target.
“Today’s a big day. Hopefully we’ll get this wrapped up,” said Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) after a White House meeting with conservative lawmakers. “The President answered all of our questions very clearly. JD Vance was there too. It was a very positive day.”
House Gridlocked Over “Big and Beautiful” Senate Bill
The House is now stalled, as GOP leaders try to persuade holdout conservatives to move the Senate-approved “big, beautiful” Trump bill forward.
A procedural vote expected to last just five minutes stretched into more than an hour, paralyzing the House from proceeding.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Trump spent most of the day lobbying the Freedom Caucus — a group of conservative lawmakers concerned about rising deficits — in an effort to rescue the bill.
Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), chairman of the Freedom Caucus, said Johnson “doesn’t have the votes.”
Meanwhile, Trump’s legal team scored a win of its own: Paramount Global agreed to settle a lawsuit over a 60 Minutes interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
Conservative Concerns Over the Bill
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) said conservative members are scrutinizing late changes made in the Senate version of the bill:
- A ban on Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care was removed.
- Concerns remain about the rising deficit.
- Uncertainty about whether green energy tax breaks were truly repealed.
- Provisions related to Medicaid for immigrants were changed.
Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-IN) opposed the procedural process, accusing Speaker Johnson of “breaking his promise.”
Rep. Harris warned that without changes, the bill wouldn’t pass the House and would be sent back to the Senate.
Trump’s former Budget Director, Russ Vought, said talks were “making progress” after meeting with conservatives.
Representatives Biggs, Roy, Norman, Boebert and others have not committed to supporting the rules vote.
Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO) opposes the bill, citing its failure to pair tax cuts with spending reductions.
Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC) raised concerns about Medicaid provider tax provisions.
Democratic Response
- Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) called on Republicans to show “John McCain-style courage” to block the bill.
- Democrats warned that the bill would slash Medicaid and nutrition aid for the poor, children, and seniors — all to fund tax cuts for the wealthy.
- Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) said, “The Senate made a bad bill even worse.”
Vote Postponed Amid GOP Resistance and Absences
House GOP leaders delayed a critical vote on Trump’s mega-bill as they scrambled to gather enough support to overcome procedural hurdles amid both internal GOP opposition and member absences.
Leaders urged members to return to the Capitol as the procedural vote — a prerequisite to beginning floor debate — dragged on while backroom negotiations continued.
Hardline Republicans, including many from the Freedom Caucus, were seen entering a conference room near the House floor during the vote. Many had vowed to vote against the rules package. If enough do, the House could be thrown into deadlock.
Key GOP Holdouts:
Hardline Conservatives:
- Chip Roy (TX): Opposes the Senate changes, deficit increases, partial rollback of green energy tax credits. Voted against the rule in committee.
- Ralph Norman (SC): Voted with Democrats to oppose the rule. Criticized $750 billion increase in deficit.
- Andy Harris (MD): Threatened to block the vote unless bill aligns with House’s original fiscal framework.
- Lloyd Smucker (PA): Authored original “dollar-for-dollar” plan. Warned Senate not to deviate — but it did.
- Keith Self (TX): Declared he’ll vote “no” unless House’s original June bill is restored.
- Andy Biggs (AZ): Called the bill a mixed bag: “Terrible in some parts, good in others. Musk is right. Trump is also right.”
- Scott Perry (PA): Accused the Senate version of failing Trump’s energy promises.
- Andy Ogles (TN): Said Senate mishandled green energy rollback. “The Green New Deal must die,” he posted.
- Tim Burchett (TN): Fiscal hawk who ousted Kevin McCarthy. Still undecided.
Moderates:
- David Valadao (CA): Opposes cuts to Medicaid funding for hospitals.
- Jeff Van Drew (NJ): Opposes Medicaid provider tax changes.
- Young Kim (CA): Concerned about Medicaid cuts, solar tax credits, and loss of public lands provision.
- Don Bacon (NE): Worried about energy and Medicaid provisions; said defense funding is the bill’s main strength.
- Nick LaLota (NY): Initially opposed SALT cap provisions; now reconsidering after tax savings analysis.
Clash Over Immigration Talking Points
VP JD Vance and White House policy chief Stephen Miller framed the bill around immigration enforcement — drawing fierce backlash from Rep. Chip Roy.
“Don’t come to me saying this is about the border,” Roy said. “This is a trillion-dollar bill full of policy junk. And now you tell me it’s just about $150 billion for ICE?”
Vance urged GOP members to ignore deficit and Medicaid concerns and focus on Trump’s mass deportation plan, with billions for ICE, the border wall, and immigration enforcement.
“CBO scores, baselines, Medicaid policy crumbs — none of that matters compared to money for ICE,” Vance posted on X.
Miller also appeared on Fox News with Sean Hannity, calling it the most comprehensive homeland security bill “since Eisenhower.”
“The best way to stop illegal immigrants from getting free health care is to deport them,” Miller posted on Tuesday.
Conclusion: “Big and Beautiful” or “Fear and Scrap”?
House Republicans face a tight, self-imposed July 4 deadline to pass the bill. Some doubt the timeline is realistic.
As of now, Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” is stuck in a familiar place: on the brink of collapse — or revival.
For now, “Big and Beautiful” has become “Fear and Scrap.”
— HẠNH DƯƠNG
