US Senate passes Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill on tie-breaker; GOP faces rocky path ahead

The measure passed on a 50-50 split, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.

The bill, formally titled the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” represents the cornerstone of Trump’s legislative agenda and the GOP’s unified control in Washington.

But the razor-thin margin of victory exposed cracks within Republican ranks.

Thom Tillis (North Carolina), Susan Collins (Maine), and Rand Paul (Kentucky) broke with their party to vote against the bill, joining all Democrats in opposition.

"The big not so beautiful bill has passed," Rand Paul quipped after the vote, signalling his disapproval of the sprawling 940-page package.

The outcome followed an unusually fraught weekend at the Capitol, with the bill at times hanging by a thread. Despite holding a majority in Congress, Republicans struggled to reconcile differing views on the bill’s deep spending cuts and expansive tax changes — a challenge expected to continue as the legislation heads back to the House of Representatives.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has already warned senators not to stray too far from the House’s version, but the Senate made notable adjustments, including changes to Medicaid, which could reignite conflict between the chambers.

Lawmakers are now racing to finalise the package before Trump’s self-imposed Fourth of July deadline.

Speaking before boarding Air Force One for Florida, Trump acknowledged the bill’s complexity: “It’s very complicated stuff,” he said, adding, “I don’t want to go too crazy with cuts. I don’t like cuts.”

The bill’s passage marks a crucial political win for Trump and the GOP, but the struggle to get it over the line — and the uncertain road ahead in the House — underscores the fragile unity within the Republican Party as it tries to deliver on its sweeping economic promises.