The GOP's 'Big Beautiful Bill' is Facing Major Hurdles as Some Members Seek to Cut Medicaid Funding

The GOP's "big, beautiful bill" is facing yet another roadblock in its efforts to cut Medicaid as moderate and swing-district House Republicans try to balance their loyalty to Trump and their re-election prospects.

According to a new Axios report, many centrist House GOP members are worried that cutting programs like Medicaid too harshly could inflame the already intense backlash they are facing from constituents over DOGE cuts.

Among them is Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) who confirmed to Axios that he communicated to the White House he won't support more than $500 billion in cuts to Medicaid. Bacon specifically cited a letter he and 11 other Republicans wrote to House Speaker Mike Johnson warning against "any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations."

Likewise, Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) showed his opposition to the bill, particularly the section on Medicaid.

"I will not vote for any bill that cuts eligible legal people," Van Drew said. "That means our working poor."

The dynamic puts Johnson in an awkward position as he tries to pass the 218 votes needed to pass the massive package. Johnson has previously stated that he thinks he can cobble together all the separate pieces of the puzzle and send the package to the Senate by Memorial Day— an ambitious but not impossible deadline.

Most GOP lawmakers are on board with the broader plan to extend expiring pieces of the 2017 tax law, introduce new tax breaks such as "no tax on tips," boost border spending and cut other government outlays, The Wall Street Journal reports. To pass the legislation, Republicans are using a process called budget reconciliation that requires a simple majority in both chambers of Congress, allowing them to pass the package without Democratic votes.

But the reconciliation bill will likely face an uphill battle, as it is expected to face an even tougher path in the Senate than in the House. GOP members like Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) have already stated they are going to oppose anything that would cut Medicaid benefits.

Interestingly, a recent report from Politico reveals that Trump himself is skeptical about the bill's cuts on Medicaid, given that he has vowed over and over again to protect the program. Further, having experienced the political backlash that followed his failed 2017 effort to undo other parts of the Affordable Care Act, he has told associates in multiple recent meetings he's uncomfortable with some of the ideas being discussed around on the Hill.

"Trump is definitely not convinced on reductions in Medicaid spending," said one outside adviser granted anonymity to discuss the high-level deliberations. "His own instincts are that politically it's not good, and Trump's instincts are pretty good."

Senior House Republicans are expected to present the president a list of potential Medicaid changes they'd like to pursue and estimates of the savings they will generate and the impacts on beneficiaries. But it will ultimately be up to Trump to decide what is palatable, Politico explains.