Trump Declares ‘GREAT VICTORY’ as Big Beautiful Bill Clears Key Senate Hurdle — Trashes GOP Holdouts Thom Tillis and Rand Paul
President Donald Trump declared “GREAT VICTORY” — as his “Big, Beautiful” budget bill cleared a key procedural hurdle in the Senate. But that didn’t stop him from lacing into the two Senate Republican holdouts.
By a vote of 51-49, the Senate — late Saturday night — voted to begin debate on the massive spending package which is undoubtedly the legislative centerpiece of Trump’s first year back in office. The legislation still needs to clear another vote in the senate, before it goes back to the House for a final vote. But even though the bill is not quite over the finish line, Trump was in a celebratory mood — as he shouted out key late converts in a Saturday night post on Truth Social.
“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. “They, along with all of the other Republican Patriots who voted for the Bill, are people who truly love our Country!”
But the two Republican senators who voted no — Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) — caught a ton of heat from Trump, who threatened to support a primary challenge against Tillis.
“Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against ‘Senator Thom’ Tillis,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I will be meeting with them over the coming weeks, looking for someone who will properly represent the Great People of North Carolina and, so importantly, the United States of America.
In a previous post, Trump wrote that he believed Tillis was making a “BIG MISTAKE” in voting against the package.
Similarly, Trump went after Paul — who is fast becoming a favorite target of the president’s. Despite Trump playing golf with the Kentucky senator on Saturday in an effort to win him over, Paul voted No on Saturday night — and the president let him have it.
“Did Rand Paul Vote ‘NO’ again tonight?” Trump wrote. “What’s wrong with this guy???
Debate on the floor should begin sometime Sunday afternoon, after a full reading of the bill was demanded by Democrats. Several Republican senators are still seeking further changes. Several House Republicans have warned that changes would turn them into No votes — if and when the legislation returns to that chamber.
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