How Trump's 'bribe now, pain later' budget scheme hit a surprise roadblock
MSNBC2 days
Trump's Tax Bill Advances After Late-Night Budget Vote
Above: Donald Trump during the Al Udeid Air Base tour on May 15, 2025, in Doha, Qatar. Image copyright: Win McNamee/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Republican narrative
The tax cuts and spending package is a crucial opportunity to deliver meaningful relief to hardworking Americans while implementing necessary reforms to welfare programs. The legislation will spur sufficient economic growth to offset debt concerns, strengthen border security, and eliminate burdensome taxes on tips and overtime pay that hurt working families.
Democratic narrative
This reckless legislation would explode the national debt, strip health care from millions of vulnerable Americans, and trigger economic instability, as evidenced by unprecedented credit rating downgrades. The bill prioritizes tax cuts for the wealthy while making devastating cuts to critical safety net programs that middle-class families depend on.