By Hannah Parry
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Donald Trump's former close ally, Elon Musk, has issued a stark warning for lawmakers voting for the president's Big, Beautiful Bill.
Musk, who has been a frequent critic of the spending and tax cut bill since leaving federal government, vowed to ensure any members of Congress "who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history" lose their primary next year.
"[They] should hang their head in shame!" he said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. "And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth."
What To Know
- Musk, who led DOGE, had a very public falling out with Trump over the bill last month over concerns the legislation will significantly increase the U.S. deficit and debt ceiling.
- The world's richest man, who previously said announced plans to scale back his political spending, could potentially use his wealth to fund primary challengers across the U.S.
- However, his last foray into political campaigns ended in disaster when the candidate he spent millions backing in Wisconsin's Supreme Court race lost by 10 percentage points.
- Trump's spending bill which combines massive tax cuts with significant spending on border security and defense. The spending will be paid for, in part, through substantial cuts to social safety net programs.
- The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the Senate bill would increase the deficit by nearly $3.3 trillion from 2025 to 2034.
- The Senate is currently voting on unlimited amendments to the bill which is expected to continue through Monday.
Newsweek's live blog is closed.
Jun 30, 2025 at 04:59 PM EDT
George W. Bush joins Obama in rebuke of Trump
Former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama publicly condemned the Trump administration's dismantling of USAID, joining singer Bono in an emotional farewell via videoconference to the shuttered aid agency.
Obama, a Democrat, called the decision "a colossal mistake," while the Republican Bush decried the cuts to his signature HIV/AIDS relief program, asking, "Is it in our national interests that 25 million people who would have died now live? I think it is, and so do you."
Bono, appearing as a surprise guest, fought back tears as he honored the agency's workers, calling them "the best of us." The videoconference marked the end of USAID's 63-year run as an independent agency before its absorption into the State Department under Secretary Marco Rubio.
Jun 30, 2025 at 04:51 PM EDT
Musk issues stark warning for Congress members who voted for spending bill
Donald Trump's former close ally, Elon Musk, has issued a stark warning for lawmakers voting for the president's Big, Beautiful Bill.
Musk, who has been a frequent critic of the spending and tax cut bill since leaving government, vowed to ensure any members of Congress "who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history" lose their primary next year.
"[They] should hang their head in shame!" he said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. "And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth."
Jun 30, 2025 at 04:38 PM EDT
Trump hosting Israeli leader Netanyahu at the White House: Report
Donald Trump is expected to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on 7 July, Axios reports.
Jun 30, 2025 at 04:32 PM EDT
Trump signs order to official lift Syria sanctions: Read in full
President Trump has signed an executive order to end the United States' sanctions against Syria.
Read the order in full on X post below:
Jun 30, 2025 at 04:30 PM EDT
Schumer says Republicans are making last minute side deals on Trump’s bill
Senator Chuck Schumer told reporters on Monday that Republicans are making last-minute deals behind closed doors on Trump's spending and tax cut bill.
"A whole lot of them are just embarrassed about this bill, uncomfortable about this bill," he said.
The flurry of side deals are happening as the "vote-a-rama" on the Big, Beautiful Bill, continues on the Senate floor.
Jun 30, 2025 at 04:20 PM EDT
Lara Trump says she’s ‘considering’ run for Sen. Thom Tillis’ seat
Lara Trump has announced that she is "considering" running for Thom Tillis' Senate seat.
Trump, who is married to President Donald Trump's son Eric, said that she'd been contemplating a career in Congress for some time.
"A lot of people probably remember I've considered kind of running for or filling a Senate seat, now, this would be the third time. The first time was actually during the midterms in '22," she told guest host Emily Compagno during an appearance on Fox Across America. "Ted Budd ultimately ran for the GOP and won that Senate seat there in North Carolina. And then obviously Marco Rubio in Florida, vacating his Senate seat to become our incredible secretary of state.
"The timing of both of those didn't really work out for me and to be fully transparent, I would love to do it.
"This is all kind of fresh within the past 24 hours for me, really learning that this was a viable option and that Senator Tillis wouldn't be seeking re-election. So look, I'm considering it... obviously I have a lot of things to look into with it, but yeah, I mean, it is something that if it works out and the timing works and it works for my family, it is absolutely something that I would consider doing."
Jun 30, 2025 at 04:09 PM EDT
Musk goes on spending bill rant, as he renews calls for a new political party
Elon Musk, formerly one of Donald Trump's closest allies, has gone on a new rant about the spending and tax cut bill.
"It is obvious with the insane spending of this bill, which increases the debt ceiling by a record FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS that we live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!!" he wrote on X.
"Time for a new political party that actually cares about the people."
Jun 30, 2025 at 04:00 PM EDT
Trump slams AT&T after he’s forced to cancel Faith Leaders call
President Donald Trump has criticized AT&T after suffering apparent technical difficulties during a Faith Leaders Conference Call.
"AT&T ought to get its act together," Trump posted on Truth Social Monday.
"We may have to reschedule the call, but we'll use another carrier the next time. AT&T obviously doesn't know what they're doing!"
Trump also made an appeal to the "Boss of T&T, whoever that may be" to "get involved" with fixing the issue.
"There are tens of thousands of people on the line!"
Jun 30, 2025 at 03:45 PM EDT
Did Republicans just kill the filibuster?
Republicans are relying on rarely employed accounting methods to push Donald Trump's "one, big beautiful bill" through the Senate, and in doing so could upend established Congressional procedures surrounding the reconciliation process and the filibuster.
Experts told Newsweek that recent moves by Republicans while trying to pass Trump's tax legislation could create new precedent surrounding the filibuster for years to come, including past the period of GOP control.
Republicans are employing the reconciliation process to pass Trump's tax bill, the centerpiece of his second-term domestic agenda, allowing them to eventually advance the bill with only a majority vote rather than the 60 votes normally needed to do away with the threat of a filibuster. A central element of the bill, which the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates would add $4.2 trillion to the nation's deficit through 2034, is the extension of the tax cuts enacted during Trump's first term.
Read in full from Hugh Cameron on Newsweek.
Jun 30, 2025 at 02:32 PM EDT
WATCH: Trump ‘does not want’ Mamdani elected as NYC mayor: White House
Jun 30, 2025 at 02:14 PM EDT
ICE director reacts to CNN coverage of ‘ICE spotting’ app
ICE acting Director Todd M. Lyons has spoken out about CNN's coverage of an "ICE spotting" app.
"CNN's promotion of an 'ICE spotting' app is reckless and irresponsible," said Lyons in a statement.
"Advertising an app that basically paints a target on federal law enforcement officers' backs is sickening. My officers and agents are already facing a 500% increase in assaults, and going on live television to announce an app that lets anyone zero in on their locations is like inviting violence against them with a national megaphone. CNN is willfully endangering the lives of officers who put their lives on the line every day and enabling dangerous criminal aliens to evade U.S. law. Is this simply reckless 'journalism' or overt activism?"
Jun 30, 2025 at 02:12 PM EDT
Trump to sign executive order lifting sanctions on Syria: White House
The White House said that President Trump will sign an executive order to lift sanctions on Syria on Monday.
The sanctions will remain on certain key figures including on former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and his aides, as well as ISIS affiliates and certain criminals.
Jun 30, 2025 at 02:08 PM EDT
Trump attacks ‘spoiled countries’ over Japan declining to import US rice
President Donald Trump has criticized Japan for declining to import American-grown rice.
"To show people how spoiled Countries have become with respect to the United States of America, and I have great respect for Japan, they won't take our RICE, and yet they have a massive rice shortage," Trump said in a post.
"In other words, we'll just be sending them a letter, and we love having them as a Trading Partner for many years to come."
Jun 30, 2025 at 02:05 PM EDT
White House suggests Alligator Alcatraz’s location ‘surrounded by dangerous animals’ is by design
The White House has suggested that the fact the new ICE facility, Alligator Alcatraz's remote Florida Everglades location is "surrounded by dangerous animals," is part of the design.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed the facility would hold "murderers, rapists and heinous criminals," adding that the Trump administration wants "to remove these public safely threats."
The center is expected to hold 5,000 migrants at the center as part of Trump's crackdown on migrants.
Jun 30, 2025 at 01:56 PM EDT
Trump still confident bill will pass by July 4 deadline
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that President Trump's tax cut and spending bill was in the "home stretch" of clearing Congress.
"Republicans need to stay tough and unified," she said on Monday's briefing.
Leavitt said Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson were at the White House on Monday to discuss passing the bill with Trump.
"We're confident this bill is going to be back in the White House by July 4," she added, referring to Trump's self-imposed deadline to sign the bill.
Jun 30, 2025 at 01:50 PM EDT
White House says Israel official will attend White House this week
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that Israel's strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer is meeting with senior officials at the White House this week.
Jun 30, 2025 at 01:49 PM EDT
Trump reacts to calls for Zohram Mamdani’s deportation
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that she "hasn't heard" President Trump call for Zohram Mamdani's deportation but that he "certainly he does not want this individual to be elected."
Leavitt said that Trump feared that Mamdani's policies would "completely crush New York City which is obviously a city that the president holds near and dear to his heart."
She also incorrectly stated that the socialist Democrat candidate for New York City mayor was "quite literally a communist" and claimed he "condemns every value that makes this country great."
"I think the president would find it difficult to work with someone like that."
When asked about Rep. Andy Ogles claims that Mamdani should be denaturalized and deported over his rap lyrics, Leavitt responded that "you'll have to ask the president... but it certainly sounds like something that should be investigated."
Jun 30, 2025 at 01:36 PM EDT
Trump continues to attack Jerome Powell on Truth Social
President Trump has said that the U.S. should be paying a one percent interest rate or lower, as he criticized Fed Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
"Jerome "Too Late" Powell, and his entire Board, should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this to happen to the United States," Trump said on Truth Social.
"They have one of the easiest, yet most prestigious, jobs in America, and they have FAILED — And continue to do so. If they were doing their job properly, our Country would be saving Trillions of Dollars in Interest Cost. The Board just sits there and watches, so they are equally to blame. We should be paying 1% Interest, or better!"
Jun 30, 2025 at 01:33 PM EDT
Trump sends note to Fed demanding lower rates
President Donald Trump has sent a note to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, comparing the U.S. interest rates to certain countries with lower rates, and demanding that Powell bring down the rate for America, the White House said.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, during her Monday briefing, "I would like to remind the Fed chair and I would remind the entire world that this is a president that was a businessman first."
"The one problem that remains is high intertest rates for the America."
Leavitt then held up a chart without around dozen countries, including Switzerland and Cuba, which she said Trump has sent to Powell as part of his demand to lower the rate.
Trump's accompanying note read, "Jerome you are as usual too late you've cost the U.S.A. a fortunate and continue to do so. You should lower the rate by a lot. Hundreds of billions of dollars are being lost and there is no inflation."
"The president is right there is rustically low inflation," Leavitt added.
Jun 30, 2025 at 01:27 PM EDT
Senator Ron Johnson says he’s not yet committed to supporting bill
Republican Senator Ron Johnson has said that he is not yet committed to supporting Trump's Big, Beautiful Bill.
Jun 30, 2025 at 01:18 PM EDT
US revokes visa for British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan over music festival chants
The United States has revoked visa for Bob Vylanafter they led anti-IDF chants during their performance atGlastonbury music festival.
The British punk-rap dup led chants including "death, death to the IDF," referring to the Israel Defense Forces, and "From the river to the sea, Palestine must be, will be, inshallah, it will be free".
Deputy secretary of state Christopher Landau has since revoked the band's U.S. visas, calling the chants antisemitic. They had been due to play at several locations in the U.S. in November.
"The @StateDept has revoked the US visas for the members of the Bob Vylan band in light of their hateful tirade at Glastonbury, including leading the crowd in death chants. Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country," he said in a post on X.
Bob Vylan is known for singing about, and condemning, many issues in their songs, including racism, homophobia and class warfare.
Jun 30, 2025 at 01:09 PM EDT
Rep Dusty Johnson announces run for South Dakota governor
Rep. Dusty Johnson has announced he plans to run for the governor of South Daktoa.
"It's time to dream big, to grow, to build, to believe in a bright future for South Dakota," he said in a post on X, Monday.
The Republican representative for the state has been in Congress since 2019, after spending three years as former governor Dennis Daugaard's chief of staff.
Jun 30, 2025 at 12:46 PM EDT
WATCH: Idaho senators denounce ‘evil attack’ in Idaho that killed firefighters
Jun 30, 2025 at 12:44 PM EDT
Zohran Mamdani not fully embraced by top New York Democrats
Zohran Mamdani has not yet been fully embraced by top New York Democrats after his apparent victory in the New York City mayoral primary last week.
Mamdani is an outspoken progressive, supporting a number of policies that are to the left of most other elected New York Democrats, including free buses, a $30 minimum wage and city-run grocery stores to address food deserts.
Some Democrats have also raised concerns about Mamdani's statements about the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Mamdani has been critical of the Israeli government and faced criticism for not condemning the phrase "globalize the intifada." Many view the phrase as antisemitic, but some say it is a call for Palestinian human rights. Mamdani told NBC News' Kristen Welker over the weekend it is "not language that I use," and has pledged to support the city's large Jewish community if elected in November.
Read in full from Andrew Stanton on Newsweek.
Jun 30, 2025 at 12:25 PM EDT
Trump set to tour new ICE facility dubbed ‘Alligator Alcatraz’
President Donald Trump is set to visit Florida's new United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center on Tuesday, governor Ron DeSantis said.
"When the president comes tomorrow, he's going to be able to see," DeSantis told reporters Monday. "I think by tomorrow, it'll be ready for business."
The new ICE center, located deep in the Florida Everglades, has sparked protests and backlash from ecology groups and immigrant groups alike. It is expected to house 5,000 migrants in the center, being built on a former airstrip, surrounded by swamps.
DeSantis said he had spoken to Trump about the center over the weekend, which has been granted approval from the Department of Homeland Security.
Jun 30, 2025 at 12:04 PM EDT
Sen. Dick Durbin says GOP has struck down amendment to protect rural hospitals
Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat, has criticized Republicans for striking down an amendment aimed at protecting rural hospitals.
"Republicans just struck down an amendment to protect our rural hospitals from being forced to close or reduce their services," he said in a post on X.
B"illionaires win while Americans struggle to find emergency care, mental and behavioral health care, and labor and delivery services."
Jun 30, 2025 at 11:50 AM EDT
Sen. Van Hollen says GOP has an ‘obsession’ with giving tax cuts to the rich
Democrat Sen. Chris Van Hollen has accused Republicans of "driving up costs to the American people, all in service to providing tax breaks to very rich people."
"The real problem is Republicans refuse to ask billionaires to contribute more to the overall good of the country," Van Hollen told MSNBC from the Capitol on Monday. "If they did that, we could actually not only help Medicare, we could help Medicaid and Social Security.
"They have an obsession with giving tax cuts to very rich people and big corporations and everything else is sacrificed for that cause."
Jun 30, 2025 at 11:35 AM EDT
Trump admin issues new tariff warning as July 9 deadline looms
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Monday that countries negotiating trade deals with the United States could still face steep tariff hikes on July 9, even if talks are ongoing. Speaking to Bloomberg Television, Bessent said any decision to extend the deadline would rest solely with President Donald Trump, who has previously signaled flexibility but has not committed to a delay.
If no agreements are reached, the current 10% tariff rate on many imported goods is set to revert to Trump's previously announced range of 11% to 50%. Bessent said he expects "a flurry" of deals in the days leading up to the deadline but cautioned that nations perceived as stalling could face the full brunt of the tariff increases.
"We have countries that are negotiating in good faith," he said, "but they should be aware that if we can't get across the line... we could spring back to the April 2 levels."
Jun 30, 2025 at 11:33 AM EDT
McConnell says Tillis retirement a ‘big setback’ for Senate
Sen. Mitch McConnell has called Sen. Thom Tillis' decision not to run for reelection next year, following his clash with President Trump over the spending and tax bill, a "big setback for the Senate."
Trump had threatened to primary Tillis after voted "no" on the bill, warning it could be "devastating to North Carolina" because of proposed Medicaid changes.
McConnell has also faced Trump's ire in the past for breaking with party line voting in the past.
"SenThomTillis is one of the most effective and collegial members that I have ever served with in the United States Senate," McConnell wrote on X.
"His announcement is a big setback for the Senate and the Republican Conference. I want to thank him for his service in this institution representing the people of North Carolina and our nation."
Jun 30, 2025 at 11:22 AM EDT
US to restart trade negotiations with Canada: White House
The White House has confirmed that the U.S. is restarting trade negotiations with Canada after it abandoned its digital services tax which included U.S. tech giants.
President Donald Trump has announced an immediate cessation to the negotiations last week after the digital tax, which was passed last year, was set to come into effect.
Trump had asked the Canadians to take the tax off at the G7 meeting in Canada.
Canada's minister of finance and national revenue, Francois-Philippe Champagne, told CNBC on Sunday, "Rescinding the digital services tax will allow the negotiations of a new economic and security relationship with the United States to make vital progress and reinforce our work to create jobs and build prosperity for all Canadians."
Jun 30, 2025 at 11:07 AM EDT
Trump admin finds Harvard failed to protect Jewish students, threatens to cut funding
A Trump administration task force has determined that Harvard University failed to protect Jewish students from harassment.
The administration is now threatening to cut all federal funding from the Ivy League school unless it addresses the findings.
In a letter to Harvard on Monday, the federal task force said its investigators found the college was at times a "willful participant in anti-Semitic harassment of Jewish students, faculty, and staff."
It also said that campus leaders had allowed antisemitism on the campus, and had violated civil rights laws requiring colleges to protect students from discrimination based on race or national origin.
Jun 30, 2025 at 11:00 AM EDT
Trump’s warning to potential GOP bill dissenters: ‘You still have to get reelected’
President Donald Trump shared a warning for any "cost cutting" Republican lawmaker who was considering voting against the bill over concerns it could grow U.S. debt and the deficit.
"For all cost cutting Republicans, of which I am one, REMEMBER, you still have to get reelected," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Sunday.
"Don't go too crazy! We will make it all up, times 10, with GROWTH, more than ever before."
Sen. Thom Tillis, of North Carolina, has already announced his intention not to run for reelection next year after he voted against Trump's "Big Beautiful" spending bill.
His announcement followed a clash with Trump over the bill, which he said could be "devastating to North Carolina" because of proposed Medicaid changes. Trump in response had threatened to support primary challengers against Tillis.
Jun 30, 2025 at 10:52 AM EDT
WATCH: Schumer slams GOP for using ‘fake math to hide true cost of spending bill’
Jun 30, 2025 at 10:45 AM EDT
Senate Republican optimistic on bill voting after grueling weekend
Sen. Roger Marshall appeared optimistic about Monday's marathon voting on the spending and tax bill after a grueling weekend of intense debates.
"Yesterday was the tough day," he told the Associated Press. "This is an easy day to me. We're only going to be here, what, twelve to fourteen hours?"
Marshall also revealed his tip for lawmakers to push through another long day on the Senate floor.
"I guess my one tip is to stay hydrated and to do not over caffeinate in the morning. Save the sugar and caffeine for when you need it the most," Marshall said.
Jun 30, 2025 at 10:38 AM EDT
SNAP Benefits Set to Change in Trump’s Tax Bill: What to Know
Senate Republicans have released their version of President Donald Trump's spending bill, which includes sweeping changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Republicans on the Senate Agriculture Committee, which oversees the program, are proposing to shift more of the financial burden for the food stamps program onto states. Currently, states split the administrative costs of SNAP evenly with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), while the USDA covers the full cost of the benefits.
Under the approved Senate plan, states would be allowed to choose whether to use their payment error rates from fiscal year 2025 or 2026 to determine their cost-sharing responsibilities beginning in fiscal year 2028. From fiscal year 2029 onward, each state's share would be calculated based on its average error rate over the previous three years.
States that maintain payment error rates below 6 percent would not have to contribute to benefit costs. For those above that threshold, state contributions would be capped at a maximum of 15 percent.
This would not apply to Alaska and Hawaii, both of which would receive temporary exemptions from the cost-sharing rules.
Read in full from Aliss Higham on Newsweek.
Jun 30, 2025 at 10:28 AM EDT
Republicans defeat budget gimmick challenge
Republicans have defeated the Democratic challenge to their accounting gimmick that appeared to lower the impact the bill would have on the deficit.
The challenge was defeated with a 53-47 vote along party lines.
Earlier today, Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer had accused the GOP of "deploying fake math, accounting gimmicks, to hide the true cost of the bill."
Jun 30, 2025 at 10:25 AM EDT
‘We’ll see,’ says Thune on whether Trump bill will pass today
Senate Majority Leader John Thune did not seem overly confident that President Trump's tax and spending bill would pass on Monday when quizzed by reporters.
"We'll see," Thune told the press as he left the Senate floor, bound for his office, blaming the uncertainty on Democrats and how long they choose to "drag it out."
When asked if he was confident Republicans had the votes to pass the bill today, Thune said he was "never" confident, "until we vote."
Jun 30, 2025 at 10:12 AM EDT
The 1600: America doesn’t have a conservative party
I paid $8 for a black iced coffee yesterday in my neighborhood. Eight. Dollars. Sometimes I think most of the underlying rage you see bubbling up around the country can be attributed to this feeling of just being constantly ripped off wherever you go.
Speaking of getting ripped off, Congress is in the process of stitching up the votes on President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" flagship legislation in hopes of getting it to his desk by the Fourth. Following a narrow 51–49 procedural vote over the weekend, the Senate advanced the bill to the debate stage, with Senators Rand Paul and Thom Tillis joining all Democrats in opposition. Targeted by MAGA for his disloyalty, Tillis immediately announced he's not running for re-election, thus putting NC potentially in play for Senate Dems next year (the modern GOP has no room for actual conservatives). So once the Senate passes the bill, it gets kicked back to the House as part of the reconciliation process before going to Trump. I'd put it at extremely likely that this giant turd of a bill becomes law in time for the fireworks on Friday.
Read in full from politics and culture director Carlo Versano on Newsweek.
Jun 30, 2025 at 09:58 AM EDT
WATCH: Sen. Murray calls Trump’s bill ‘garbage’
Jun 30, 2025 at 09:49 AM EDT
Senate now taking first of many votes on bill
The Senate is taking its first vote regarding the spending bill on Monday, after Democrats challenged a budget gimmick from the Republicans to make the deficit impact appear lower.
Senators will then move on to the other amendments.
Jun 30, 2025 at 09:40 AM EDT
Schumer accuses GOP of using ‘fake math… to hide the true cost of the bill’
Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer has now taken the floor ahead of the vote, to argue against the Big, Beautiful Bill.
Schumer accused the GOP of "deploying fake math, accounting gimmicks, to hide the true cost of the bill."
"Look Republicans can use whatever budgetary gimmicks they want to try and make the math work on paper, but you can't paper over the real life consequences," he added.
Jun 30, 2025 at 09:35 AM EDT
Thune says it’s ‘rich’ to hear Democrats attack bill for increasing deficit
Senate Majority Leader John Thune is speaking on the floor at the Capitol on Monday as voting
Sen. Thune told lawmakers, "It is rich to suddenly hear democrats concerned about debt or deficit."
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the Senate bill would increase the deficit by nearly $3.3 trillion from 2025 to 2034, a nearly $1 trillion increase over the House-passed bill.
Democrats have repeatedly argued against passing the bill, which increasing defense spending and funds to crackdown on immigration while cutting social programs.
However, Thune argued Monday that previous Democrat-led spending bill had also added to the deficit, "so heating up and talking about deficits all of a sudden is kind of mind blowing."
Jun 30, 2025 at 09:22 AM EDT
Trump oversees worst dollar start to year in over half a century
The U.S. dollar has had its worst start to a year since 1973, weighed down by President Donald Trump's frenetic trade policy, a worsening outlook for the country's ever-bloating public debt pile, and fears about the independence of the Federal Reserve.
The Financial Times reported that the U.S. Dollar Index was now down by 10 percent over the course of 2025, making it the weakest performance since the end of the Bretton Woods system, which was underpinned by the dollar's convertibility to gold.
The news concides with the U.S. Senate gearing up to pass Trump's much-tweaked One, Big, Beautiful Bill, the tax-cutting provisions of which are set to expand the deficit by trillions of dollars over the coming decade.
Trump upended the global trading system in April when he introduced individualized "reciprocal" tariffs on trade partners, intended to reflect the barriers he said the U.S. faces around the world.
He later paused those tariffs for 90 days amid market turmoil and fears of sparking a U.S. recession, to give space for trade talks, and recently indicated the deadline is not hard if those discussions are making progress.
Jun 30, 2025 at 09:10 AM EDT
GOP lawmaker claims Trump is ‘best friend the working class has ever had’
Senator Jim Banks has claimed that President Donald Trump "is the best friend the working class has ever had" over his spending bill
"The tax cuts in the Big Beautiful Bill deliver on his campaign promise to take care of them. Let's get it passed!" Banks said in a post on X.
The bill would increase funding for the military, oil exploration and immigration enforcement.
To compensate for lost revenue, Republicans propose substantial cuts to social programs and Medicaid.
Jun 30, 2025 at 09:01 AM EDT
Elon Musk calls Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill ‘political suicide’
Elon Musk renewed his criticism of President Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful" spending bill on Saturday, in a series of posts on X.
The Tesla CEO warned that the bill "raises the debt ceiling by $5 TRILLION, the biggest increase in history, putting America in the fast lane to debt slavery!"
"The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country! Utterly insane and destructive," Musk wrote in a separate X post. "It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future."
He followed it with a post that included polling by The Tarrance Group, which showed the majority of all voters and even various groups of declared Republican voters, agree with Musk's criticism and would grossly increase the federal budget by trillions of dollars.
"Polls show that this bill is political suicide for the Republican Party," he wrote.
Former close Trump ally Musk loudly criticized the bill after departing the federal government, sparking a huge, very public falling out between the president and Musk, with both hurling insults and allegations at each other.
Jun 30, 2025 at 08:51 AM EDT
Trump says Big Beautiful Bill is ‘moving along nicely’ after Sunday’s procedural vote
On Sunday, President Donald Trump celebrated said that his Big Beautiful Bill was "moving along nicely" after it passed a procedural vote in the Senate, to advance his flagship bill.
The Senate voted 51-49 to today's open debate on the One Big Beautiful Bill, bringing it one step closer to landing on Trump's desk ahead of the self-imposed deadline.
"Tonight we saw a GREAT VICTORY in the Senate with the 'GREAT, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL,' but, it wouldn't have happened without the Fantastic Work of Senator Rick Scott, Senator Mike Lee, Senator Ron Johnson, and Senator Cynthia Lummis," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
He later added that the, "ONE GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL, is moving along nicely! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
Jun 30, 2025 at 08:46 AM EDT
Sen. Warren says bill throws ‘millions of Americans under the bus’
Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren warned on the Senate floor, that the GOP spending bill will "throw millions of Americans under the bus."
"Republican have made their values clear," she said. "They are willing to throw millions of Americans under the bus, so they can help our a handful of the billionaire buddies and giant corporations. They should be ashamed."
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), which is nonpartisan, estimates the bill would add $2.4 trillion to the nation's deficit.
Jun 30, 2025 at 08:37 AM EDT
What does the bill contain?
The bill centers on approximately $3.8 trillion in tax cuts, making permanent the tax rates and brackets from Trump's first term while adding new exemptions for tips, overtime pay, and some automotive loans. The legislation would increase the child tax credit from $2,000 to $2,200 and provide a $6,000 deduction for older adults earning under $75,000 annually. The state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap would increase from $10,000 to $40,000 for five years.
For border security and immigration enforcement, the package allocates $350 billion, including $46 billion for the U.S.-Mexico border wall and $45 billion for 100,000 migrant detention facility beds. The plan aims to deport approximately 1 million people annually through hiring 10,000 new U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and expanding Border Patrol forces.
To offset costs, Republicans propose significant cuts to Medicaid, food stamps, and green energy programs, potentially saving $1.5 trillion. The legislation would impose new 80-hour monthly work requirements for Medicaid and food stamp recipients up to age 65, while rolling back former President Joe Biden-era's renewable energy tax incentives. The CBO estimates these changes would leave 10.9 million more people without health coverage and 3 million without food stamp eligibility.
Additional provisions include $25 billion for the "Golden Dome" missile defense system, establishment of "Trump Accounts" children's savings program, and $40 million for a "National Garden of American Heroes."
The bill also restricts artificial intelligence (AI) development, blocks transgender surgeries, and directs the sale of up to 1.2 million acres of public land for housing development.
Jun 30, 2025 at 08:32 AM EDT
The Senate’s ‘vote-a-rama’ is expected to begin at 9 a.m.
The Senate's marathon voting session, referred to as a "vote-a-rama," is set to begin at 9 a.m. ET.
Senators are able to make as many amendments as they wish to vote on, before the final vote.
The session had been expected to begin last night but after a weekend marathon voting session, it appears to have been pushed back to Monday morning.
Jun 30, 2025 at 08:25 AM EDT
WATCH: Rand Paul says he’s voting against the Big, Beautiful Bill
Jun 30, 2025 at 08:22 AM EDT
Democrats’ Chances of Winning Thom Tillis’ North Carolina Senate Seat
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Democrats have a slightly increased chance of winning Thom Tillis' North Carolina Senate seat after he announced his intention to step down, according to an analyst.
According to analysis in the Cook Political Report newsletter, Republican Tillis announcing his intention to not run for the Senate seat again in 2026 makes the state a "top pickup opportunity" for the Democrats.
Tillis, who voted against President Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful" spending bill announced on Sunday that he will not seek reelection as his term in office ends in January 2027. His announcement followed a clash with Trump over the bill, which he said could be "devastating to North Carolina" because of proposed Medicaid changes. Trump in response had threatened to support primary challengers against Tillis.
The Cook Report previously said that the race leaned Republican. Now it has adjusted its analysis and described it as a toss-up state, meaning it could go either way.
Read in full from Kate Plummer on Newsweek.
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