His critics said President Trump would find it impossible to pass his tax cut mega-bill through Congress, let alone get it done before the July 4 recess.
But this summer has provided Mr. Trump with a succession of wins that were capped on Thursday by the 218-214 vote to send the measure, dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill, to his desk.
With the bill’s passage, he’s turned most of his campaign promises into law just six months into his second administration.
“Campaigns are filled with promises and ‘most’ administrations are filled with excuses but NOT @Potus, who once again delivered for the American people,” said Mark Meadows, who served as White House Chief of Staff during Mr. Trump’s first term, on X.
The sweeping tax cut legislation checks off many of the most important items on Mr. Trump’s agenda, not the least of which was permanently extending the tax cuts for individuals he enacted in 2017. The measure also ends most taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security for older adults. The measure also tackles Medicaid, which has exploded in size and cost over the past decade.
The bill reins in the entitlement to exclude unauthorized immigrants and those who do not qualify for the benefits, which will curb Medicaid growth by $1 trillion over the next decade. The measure adds $46.5 billion to finish Mr. Trump’s No. 1 campaign promise in 2016, which went unfulfilled during his first term: Building a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico.
The bill significantly boosts military spending, including $25 billion for a Golden Dome defense system, another item Mr. Trump promised on the campaign trail.
It fulfills the wishes of the anti-abortion wing of the party by ending Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood, an abortion provider.
Mr. Trump plans to sign the mega-bill on July 4, and when he does, it will clinch several weeks of significant victories for his presidency and his party.
The president this week won a tariff stare-down with Canada, forcing the country to back off a threat to impose a 3% digital services tax that would have hurt U.S. tech companies. The stock market roared to record highs amid tariff deals secured by Mr. Trump and a stronger-than-expected jobs report.
Foreign policy wins are also stacking up. Mr. Trump last week was the toast of NATO, where he was credited with significantly boosting the defense contributions from member nations. Days earlier, Mr. Trump ordered precision strikes on Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities, leaving them inoperable for the foreseeable future and perhaps permanently. He announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran and is closing in on a deal to end Israel’s war with Hamas.
Some of Mr. Trump’s victories were on a smaller scale, but they fulfilled some of his most important campaign pledges.
His executive order banning transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports, a top campaign promise, led the University of Pennsylvania this week to revoke transgender swimmer Lia Thomas’ swim titles.
He also took credit for reducing the price of eggs after bird flu caused them to skyrocket in cost the day he took office. This week, Waffle House dropped its egg surcharge.
“We brought the price of Eggs back to what they were supposed to be. “When I took over on January 20th, the Fake News was screaming that, ‘Egg prices have gone through the roof, quadrupled,’ they said. Now they’re plentiful, and inexpensive,” Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social, congratulating himself. “Thank you President Trump!”
Mr. Trump did not sit on the sidelines while the mega-bill churned through Congress. He played a significant role in getting the legislation across the finish line, negotiating in person and over the phone with the GOP holdouts. House Republicans were upset that the bill had grown by $1 trillion when it passed the Senate last month, stalling the measure briefly.
Mr. Trump met personally with lawmakers and phoned them up until Republican leaders secured the votes early on July 3.
“Donald Trump absolutely was our closer,” said Rep. Steve Scalise, Louisiana Republican.
Not everyone in the GOP is happy with the bill.
A sizable faction of spending hawks say it didn’t go far enough to curb federal spending. Other Republicans warned the Medicaid and food stamp work requirements added to the bill would hurt the most vulnerable.
Mr. Trump, aides said Thursday, worked behind the scenes to win over reluctant lawmakers.
The president, aides said, has been cultivating personal relationships with senators and House members since winning a second term, and he listened to their concerns and ensured the White House responded to each of their complaints.
“He was the omnipresent force behind this legislation,” a White House aide said Thursday.
The president held countless meetings and phone calls with individual lawmakers or talked to groups of members on speakerphone, urging them to push the bill across the finish line.
“I don’t think the Donald Trump of his first administration could have pulled this off,” said pollster Matt Towery. “But he is now a seasoned leader, working the phone with members of Congress like a Lyndon Johnson, and bringing GOP members together like a Ronald Reagan. Trump is an unequaled force to be reckoned with, and the vote today solidifies this for the next three and a half years.”
• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.