Donald Trump's sweeping "big, beautiful bill" has been passed by Congress in a major victory for the US President.

Lawmakers voted by a wafer-thin margin of 218 to 214 votes to approve the bill on Thursday afternoon, after it was passed in the Senate by just one vote on Tuesday.

Trump had fought off Elon Musk and internal rebellions over the bill - but has now been handed a mandate to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on border security and the so-called "golden dome" missile defence system.

Another crucial part of the bill is tax - and it's set to halt a series of looming increases that were due to hit most Americans at the end of this year, when Trump's 2017 individual and business tax cuts were due to expire.

Those cuts are now made permanent, while tax breaks for parents and businesses are expanded.

Just days ago, Trump piled pressure on his party to approve the move by July 4 - Independence Day.

Lawmakers voted by a wafer-thin margin of 218 to 214 votes to approve the bill on Thursday afternoon

"FOR REPUBLICANS, THIS SHOULD BE AN EASY YES VOTE. RIDICULOUS!!!" he said on social media.

In the end, Republicans largely supported it, with just two of the party's 220 Congressmen voting against it.

One, North Carolina's Virginia Foxx, said: "Historic tax relief for working families. Massive investment to secure our nation's borders. Capturing generational savings.

"Slashing waste, fraud and abuse in Government programmes so that they may run more efficiently."

It came despite a near-nine-hour-long attempt by Democrat Hakeem Jeffries to talk down the move.

He spent eight hours and 45 minutes delivering a rambling address claiming the bill would have a negative impact on poor Americans.

Just days ago, Trump piled pressure on his party to approve the move by July 4

It also faced the fury of former Trump ally - and world's richest man - Elon Musk, who has consistently warned it will increase the US deficit by more than $3trillion ($2.2trillion) - just over 50 per cent larger than the entire UK economy.

The Tesla boss issued a veiled threat at politicians who voted for the bill, saying: "Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame!

"And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth."

The President will sign off the bill formally at 5pm tomorrow - or 10pm in the UK.