Republicans have a fight on their hands with President Donald Trump's latest demands, Punchbowl News' Jake Sherman reported on Tuesday.
The seeds of the conflict were planted in the dead of night, when President Donald Trump posted his demands for a new budget reconciliation bill on his Truth Social platform, demanding not just a massive new price tag but the inclusion of his hobby horse legislation to place new restrictions on voting.
"The United States Military has never been stronger, or more powerful," said Trump. "No other Nation can do what we do (It’s not even close!). This year we set even more Historic Recruiting Records, months ahead of schedule. Morale has never been higher. Our Military’s unmatched POWER was on full display during our Celebration of 250 Years of American Independence and, like our Country, the WAR DEPARTMENT has never been 'HOTTER.' We need to keep it that way, which is why, when Congress returns, we must pass Reconciliation 3.0, with 350 Billion Dollars for Defense, plus THE SAVE AMERICA ACT!"
"I am calling on House and Senate Leadership to make this their Number One Priority, and ensure that 350 Billion Dollars in Recon 3.0 moves out of the Budget Committee as soon as Congress is back in session," said Trump. "The SAVE AMERICA ACT, which everyone is asking for, paired with the full funding of our Great Department of War, can be passed very quickly, ensuring that the United States of America stays FREE for Generations to come."
All of this is going to spark a massive conflict in Congress, Sherman noted.
"SAVE cannot go in reconciliation," said Sherman, due to longstanding Senate rules limiting what can be put in a budget bill. GOP lawmakers are trying to get around this by creating "a $4B fund to incentivize states to conduct voter ID/citizenship checks," said Sherman, effectively passing small portions of the SAVE America Act, but "that's clearly not enough for Trump at the moment."
Meanwhile, the $350 billion ask for the defense budget is "a lot," he said, and "There will be a fight over offsets."
"Can House Republicans pass a budget to unlock this process? Can Senate Republicans?" asked Sherman. "24 legislative days before Election Day."
