Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ faces major blow as 3 Republicans defect. Who are they?
The White House recently said in a statement that a failure to pass the bill would be the “ultimate betrayal."
Donald Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ is hanging in balance after three Republicans close to oppose it – Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Rand Paul of Kentucky. The Senate held a key test vote on the bill Saturday evening, June 28. The White House recently said in a statement that a failure to pass the bill would be the “ultimate betrayal,” according to CBS News.
“The One Big Beautiful Bill Act reflects the shared priorities of both the Congress and the Administration. Therefore, the Congress should immediately pass this bill and send it to the President’s desk by July 4, 2025, to show the American people that they are serious about ‘promises made, promises kept,'” the statement said. “President Trump is committed to keeping his promises, and failure to pass this bill would be the ultimate betrayal.”
The Republicans opposing the bill
Johnson, a Republican senator from Wisconsin, told the Fox & Friends programme on Saturday that he will be voting “no,” adding that he needed more time to read it. "We just got the bill," Johnson said. "I got my first copy at about 01:23 in the morning."
Paul expressed his reservations with the bill too, saying a clear no, following which Tillis also raised objections to the legislation on Saturday.
To clear the Senate, Trump’s bill required a simple majority. The party can afford no more than three defections, with Republicans holding 53 seats out of 100, as well as a tiebreaker from Vice-President JD Vance.
Trump previously said that it would be a “disaster” for Republicans and the country if the “one big, beautiful bill” does not make it out of the lower chamber. “They have to get there,” Trump said in April, according to the New York Post. “And I think we are there. We had a great meeting today. I think we are there.”
“But just in case there are a couple of Republicans not there – you just gotta get there, close your eyes and get there!” Trump further said, adding, “It is a phenomenal bill. Stop grandstanding.”
