Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ timeline at risk as anxious GOP lawmakers try to flee

On Friday, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) told CNN that many GOP lawmakers are becoming increasingly “nervous” about supporting the bill, which combines deep tax cuts for high-income earners with sharp reductions to federal programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, and green energy subsidies.

Trump has demanded Congress deliver the bill to his desk before the July 4 holiday, posting on social media earlier this week, “No one goes on vacation until it’s done.”

Yet, signs of retreat are already emerging.

“Right now, as you and I are talking, a small sort of tea leaves in the Congress measure has just occurred,” Whitehouse said during an interview with CNN’s Brianna Keilar.

“Today’s vote has been moved up from 6 p.m. to 4 p.m. That may seem like nothing, but it means Republicans are responding to the desire of their members to get to the airport and fly home.”

Whitehouse interpreted the change in schedule as a clear indication that Republican leadership is backing off the sense of urgency originally imposed by Trump.

“This is no longer DEFCON One—’stick around the Capitol, we’re going to get this done,’” he said. “They’ve collapsed back to a very regular schedule of everybody going home for the weekend while they try to figure it out. That’s a big step back.”

The bill, which Trump has positioned as a landmark legislative win, offers an estimated $3.8 trillion in tax relief largely benefiting corporations and wealthy Americans.

To offset the cost, it proposes sweeping cuts to social safety net programs—changes that have drawn fierce criticism from Democrats, policy experts, and even some moderate Republicans.

Whitehouse suggested that the bill’s unpopularity could have serious electoral consequences for Republicans heading into the next election cycle. When asked if the growing discomfort among GOP lawmakers could translate into political gains for Democrats, he responded affirmatively.

“The effects of this bill on the American public are predictably a body blow for the Republican Party,” he said. “And as it gets closer to game day and they’ve got to actually pull the trigger on this, they’re seeing that more and more—and getting more and more nervous.”

The Rhode Island senator added that Democrats are closely monitoring the fallout and view the bill’s unpopularity as a potential opportunity to reclaim majorities in both chambers of Congress.

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However, Senate Republicans postponed a scheduled vote on the bill on Friday, pushing the first procedural action to Saturday. The delay came amid ongoing internal negotiations and unresolved issues, including Medicaid cuts and the SALT deduction.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune confirmed debate would begin around noon Saturday, with amendments to follow. The postponement reflects growing GOP anxiety over the bill’s political fallout and legal challenges to some provisions.

While Trump had demanded passage by July 4, several lawmakers have already left Washington for the weekend, casting uncertainty over the bill’s timeline and potential path to passage.