Congress

Republicans Made Conflicting Deals on Reconciliation. They’re Counting on Trump to Resolve It.

Conservatives insisted they need major spending cuts in the reconciliation bill. Vulnerable Republicans said they couldn’t stomach those cuts. For the bill to pass, both factions have to vote for it.

Donald Trump

President Donald Trump speaks to the National Fraternal Order of Police fall meeting. Evan Vucci/AP

By Reese Gorman and Daniella Diaz

March 6, 2025 05:00 AM

Speaker Mike Johnson’s barely existent majority puts him in a difficult but familiar position with the reconciliation bill: desperately working different factions of his conference to secure the votes.

But as much as it’s Johnson’s job to build support for the legislation, Republicans are clear that President Donald Trump is the one who will eventually have to get this over the line.

And it’ll be Trump’s job to win over whomever is holding out.