President Donald Trump convinced his Republican colleagues to support the 2026 budget bill passed by the Senate by offering autographs and photo opportunities.
According to AL.com, Trump used "charm" and "autographs to seal [the] budget deal."
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) was on the fence about the budget bill, saying he was "probably a no" just a month ago. But after a visit with Trump, Burchett was swayed.
“The president was wonderful, as always. Informative, funny. He told me he likes seeing me on TV, which is kinda cool,” Burchett said in a video posted to X. He later told the New York Times in an interview that he found it funny the White House misspelled his name on the nameplate for the meeting. He had Trump sign it.
Burchett's congressional website criticizes those who approve of deficit spending: "It’s time for Congress to reverse its irresponsible spending habits and get back to a place of fiscal responsibility."
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) complained about the national debt in March, advocating for a bureaucracy to get rid of government bureaucracy.
In April, Donalds even went so far as to say that tax cuts for the rich were a no for him as well.
"I’ll just be clear. That’s not something I’m going to support and I know there are many Republicans on the Hill who are not going to support that. Frankly, the vast, vast, vast majority of Republicans are not going to support that,” Donalds said on Fox's “Sunday Morning Futures," reported FloridaPolitics.com.
During Burchett's video, Donalds pops up behind him and says, “Show them what he signed for you!"
"Yeah! He signed a bunch of stuff,” Burchett said. “It’s cool.”
However, Burchett didn't hold up any of the merch for the video.
Burchett later confirmed to The New York Times that Trump “loaded up” souvenirs for Rep. Chip Roy's (R-TX) son.
Roy lashed out at the U.S. Senate for its version of the 2026 budget. Less than 48 hours before the vote for the bill, Roy called the bill "garbage" and doubted it would pass.
"My colleagues in the Senate failed us," he said in a committee hearing on Tuesday. The bill had just narrowly passed the Senate with Vice President JD Vance casting a tie-breaking vote.
"If we're going to do the tax policy, at least do the spending policy," Roy said, according to Texas Public Radio. "Have the courage and the fortitude to do what you campaign on when you're talking about balancing the dang budget."
Roy voted against the bill in that committee hearing. Just 24 hours ago, Roy ranted on X about all of the things he hates in the bill.
