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A Big, Beautiful Mistake?

A growing contingent of Republicans point to Trump’s decision to unleash tariffs before tax cuts as a tactical error—and wonder if they still have the political momentum to pass his megabill with all its components intact.

Mike Johnson
It was always going to be difficult for the party to square the agendas of competing factions with very different opinions on balancing tax levels and spending. Any concession that Speaker Mike Johnson makes to one of these groups will be sure to alienate the other. Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images
Abby Livingston
May 19, 2025

Something a little strange happened on Capitol Hill during the first few weeks of May. After a winter blitz of confirmation hearings overwhelmed Republican senators and DOGE trampled congressional prerogatives, G.O.P. members in both chambers are finally starting to push back (to varying degrees) against Donald Trump. Of course, this often-gentle resistance has mounted while the president attempts to persuade Republican members to vote against their own interests on his sweeping “big, beautiful bill.”