Senate GOP in Disarray as Trump’s Megabill Faces Crucial Test
Republican holdouts threaten to derail Trump’s landmark bill as party divides over land sales and deep Medicaid cuts.
Senate Republicans are locked in a high-stakes negotiation over President Donald Trump’s proposed reconciliation bill, with internal party disputes jeopardizing a procedural vote originally planned for Saturday afternoon. The legislation, a sprawling GOP-led fiscal package branded by Trump as a “big, beautiful bill,” remains on unstable ground as key senators signal opposition or demand changes, according to a report by the The Hill.
Public Land Provision Triggers GOP Resistance
Montana Sen. Tim Sheehy threatened to oppose the bill over provisions allowing for the sale of up to 5 million acres of federal public lands to private developers and industry. After direct talks with Senate leadership and conservation stakeholders, Sheehy reversed course and announced he would vote "yes" to advance the bill, pledging instead to file an amendment to strip the land-sale clause.
According to reporting from the Flathead Beacon, Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) has also lobbied for carve-outs to protect Montana lands, while Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) is working to expand the sale authority under a federal land disposal framework. The provision has triggered alarm among hunting, fishing, and environmental groups across Western states.
Medicaid Cuts, New Tax Spark Broader Concerns
The reconciliation bill proposes nearly $880 billion in Medicaid cuts over the next 10 years, including reductions to enrollment subsidies and state waivers. Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, who initially rejected any cuts, has now expressed conditional support, saying he would oppose reductions that specifically target Missouri’s Medicaid provider tax, according to NOTUS.
Maine Sen. Susan Collins has committed to supporting the motion to proceed but plans to introduce amendments to soften Medicaid reductions and expand access for rural residents. Other GOP senators—Thom Tillis, Ron Johnson, and Rand Paul—remain critical of the bill’s impact on the federal deficit and long-term healthcare obligations.
Additionally, the updated bill introduces a new federal surtax on digital services and automation-dependent manufacturers, drawing criticism from tech industry allies and fiscal conservatives, as reported by Business Insider.
GOP Leadership Navigates Tight Vote Margin
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is facing narrow margins, with only three Republican defections allowable under current Senate math. With Vice President JD Vance available to cast a tiebreaking vote, leadership is carefully managing holdouts.
Thune acknowledged Saturday that the voting schedule remains fluid. Pending Senate Parliamentarian rulings have complicated the bill’s progression, especially on non-budgetary items like the land sales and regulatory rollbacks. “It’s all contingent on a few unresolved items,” Thune told Politico. “If those land as we hope, we’ll be in position to vote sometime tomorrow.”
Trump Stays in D.C. as Clock Ticks Toward July 4
President Trump has canceled weekend travel plans to remain in Washington as the legislative countdown intensifies. The administration is pushing to pass the bill before the self-imposed July 4 deadline, a symbolic milestone within Trump’s second-term “First 100 Days” legislative agenda.
The momentum behind the measure grew after a recent Supreme Court decision limiting the power of lower courts to issue nationwide injunctions, a legal maneuver that had previously stalled components of the Trump agenda. That ruling, widely viewed as a victory for the administration, may ease the bill’s future implementation.
Still, the Trump reconciliation bill remains the focus of political debate, reflecting fractures within the Republican Party between ideological conservatives, environmental stewards, and fiscal pragmatists. With time dwindling, Senate Republicans must bridge those divides to secure passage.