President Donald Trump blew up the U.S. Senate's budget bill on Wednesday — and the Republican Senate leadership had no idea it was coming, according to a report.
According to NBC News' Ryan Nobles, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said he "had no idea that Donald Trump was planning to blow this process up via his social media this morning. It was news to him when he saw the president's position on this."
Nobles said that most Republicans he spoke to don't think they can pass Trump's "big beautiful bill" immediately. The government could shut down if a spending plan is not agreed soon.
Many GOP deficit hawks don't want to see another budget that raises the debt ceiling and adds more money to the national debt. But Trump wants a $4 trillion deal that will pay for his tax cuts and new plans.
Trump won't have the votes to pass his bill without those hawks. Either he must satisfy the far-right, or he'll be forced to try to make deals with Democrats, said Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) last week.
But on Wednesday, the president took to Truth Social to give his back to a single bill, and shunned another approach, backed by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) that would introduce two bills — one that is more likely to easily pass and another with more controversial proposals.
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"The vice president is going to join Republicans today for their Senate lunch to kind of hash out a path forward," said Nobles. "But it's clear that the White House, the House of Representatives, and the Senate are not on the same page when it comes to this reconciliation package, and it is the most important agenda item for Donald Trump."
The Senate was set to vote this week on the budget bill that Graham (R-S.C.) had been working on.
"Are you guys just doing a fruitless exercise today?" Raw Story asked Graham at the Capitol one week ago.
"I think we're doing a productive exercise!" Graham said before hopping in an elevator.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) told Raw Story, "This is starting to feel like a fruitless exercise. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't even get the majority of the Republican votes."
See the video of Nobles below or at the link here.
- YouTubeyoutu.be
