President Donald Trump met behind closed doors with House Republicans on Tuesday in a high-stakes effort to push through his “big, beautiful” reconciliation budget. But despite an impassioned 90-minute pitch, some key conservatives and moderates say they’re still not on board.
Among the most vocal opponents: Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), a longtime budget hawk, who didn’t mince words.
“I’m the only Republican right now that you can count on to vote against this vote,” Massie said after the meeting. “It’s not consequential to my vote today, like whether he [Trump] endorses me or attacks me. Doesn’t change the facts.”
Massie, who has often clashed with GOP leadership over government spending, called himself a “hard no” on the bill — even as he admitted Trump likely persuaded some lawmakers to “give up their fights.”
“I predict they get the bill passed,” he said. “He was very personal, very persuasive.”
Tensions with the SALT Caucus
The meeting got heated when Trump directed comments at Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), a member of the SALT Caucus. Lawler and others want to raise the $10,000 cap on State and Local Tax (SALT) deductions — a major issue for representatives from high-tax states like New York and California.
Trump reportedly told Lawler:
“I know your district better than you do. If you lose because of SALT, you were going to lose anyway.”
But Lawler wasn’t swayed.
“The President can say whatever he wants, and I respect him,” Lawler told reporters. “But I certainly understand my district. I’m one of only three Republican members that won in a district Kamala Harris won, and I did so for reasons.”
“If they think we’re going to throw our constituents under the bus to appease [the Freedom Caucus], it’s not happening.”
Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY) echoed Lawler’s concerns, saying the proposed numbers just weren’t good enough for his voters.
“Those numbers last night didn’t work for me and the members of the SALT caucus,” he said. “We need a little more salt on the table to get to yes.”
“All they need from this town is a little salt. I don’t think that’s unreasonable.”
Medicaid? Trump Draws a Red Line
Trump also made clear he’s drawing a hard line on Medicaid, telling lawmakers:
“Don’t f*** around with Medicaid.”
The message was received loud and clear. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), who’s previously expressed concerns about Medicaid cuts, said Trump’s speech was just what the GOP needed.
“It was what the conference needed.”
Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) agreed:
“It reinforced the message I’ve been saying for a while: Don’t touch it.”
Freedom Caucus: Still Skeptical
Even with Trump’s persuasive pitch, many members of the conservative Freedom Caucus remain wary. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) called Trump’s talk:
“One of the greatest speeches I’ve heard. And it’s real. It was off the cuff. And he said the right things.”
But Norman stopped short of committing to vote for the bill.
Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris (R-MD) acknowledged they’re still not there:
“We’re still a long ways away, but we can get there — maybe not by tomorrow.”
Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) and Eric Burlison (R-MO) also said they’re currently a “no” but remain open to further talks.
“I think that there’s some things that we could move easily to make it more comfortable for a lot of people like myself,” said Burlison.
Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR), chair of the House Intelligence Committee, offered a candid assessment:
“Everybody’s, you know, ‘rah, rah,’ and we’re together, and then everybody walks out of the room. We’ll see. At the end of the day, people have to make a decision on their own.”
Trump: No Patience Left
Despite calling the meeting a “meeting of love,” a White House official made it clear: the president wants full unity — and he’s running out of patience.
“The President is clear: he wants EVERY Republican to vote yes,” the official said.
Still, Trump publicly denied any frustration:
“I’m not losing patience with House Republicans.”
Speaker Johnson’s Uphill Battle
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) hoped to pass the budget by Memorial Day. That now seems uncertain — unless the bill clears the powerful Rules Committee this week.
After the meeting, Johnson sounded upbeat.
“High energy and high excitement,” he told reporters. “Failure is not an option.”
He also promised to keep working with members of the different factions to “tie up the remaining loose ends.”
