US Senate moves closer to vote on Trump’s controversial spending bill

US senators were edging closer on Sunday to voting on Donald Trump’s controversial "One Big Beautiful Bill" — a sweeping and deeply polarizing spending proposal that advances key parts of his domestic agenda while slashing funding for major social welfare programs.

The former president is touting the bill as a cornerstone of his legacy, aiming to extend his expiring first-term tax cuts at a cost of $4.5 trillion and bolster border security.

However, the bill has sharply divided Republicans, many of whom are already focused on the upcoming 2026 midterm elections. Critics within the party argue the plan would strip health care coverage from millions of low-income Americans and add over $3 trillion to the national debt.

The Senate formally opened debate late Saturday after Republican dissenters delayed an expected procedural vote. The motion to begin debate narrowly passed, with two Republicans siding with all 47 Democrats in opposition — prompting fierce backlash from Trump.

Trump has pressured Republicans to fast-track the bill and deliver it to his desk by July 4, Independence Day. But on Sunday, he appeared to cast doubt on that goal, accusing Democrats of stalling for political advantage.

“There are a lot of bad people in the Democrat Party,” Trump told Fox News, blaming them for refusing to back an increase in the debt ceiling. On social media, his rhetoric was even more pointed: “Republicans must remember that they are fighting against a very evil, corrupt and, in many ways, incompetent (Policywise!) group of people.”

Democrats have vowed to resist the bill at every turn, starting by demanding that the full 1,000-page text be read aloud on the Senate floor before debate begins.

If the Senate passes the bill, it must return to the House, where Republicans can afford to lose only a few votes — a challenge given rising opposition within their own ranks.

On Sunday, GOP Senator Thom Tillis — a vocal critic of the bill — announced he would not seek reelection, shortly after facing a blistering attack from Trump.

Divisive Cuts and Fallout

To finance the $4.5 trillion tax relief, Republicans are proposing deep cuts to Medicaid, the public health insurance program for low-income Americans — a move that could force the closure of many rural hospitals and leave an estimated 8.6 million people without coverage.

The bill would also repeal many of the renewable energy tax incentives introduced under President Joe Biden.

Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and former Trump ally, publicly slammed the bill on Saturday, calling it “utterly insane and destructive.” He accused it of rewarding outdated industries while undermining sectors critical to the future.

Independent analyses suggest the bill would lead to one of the largest redistributions of wealth in US history — from the poorest Americans to the wealthiest. Recent polls indicate the proposal is widely unpopular across nearly all demographics.

Although the House has already passed its own version of the bill, both chambers must agree on a final unified text before it can be enacted into law.