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By Dan Gooding and Gabe Whisnant
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President Donald Trump said Thursday that it was easy to get his spending bill to a "yes," after it finally passed the House of Representatives, 218-214.
His remarks came after a flurry of celebratory posts on social media from other White House officials, following Congress's passage of the $4.5 trillion tax break and spending bill.
"I think when you go over the bill, it was very easy to get them to a 'Yes.'," Trump told reporters before he boarded Air Force One for an "America 250" rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. "We went over that bill, point after point ... Biggest tax cut in history, great for security, great on the southern border... we covered just about everything."
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Only two House Republicans broke ranks and voted against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, President Trump's flagship tax and spending package.
Trump also insisted that he made "no deals" with Republican lawmakers in exchange for their vote.
"No deals, no deals. What I did was talk about how good the bill is. That's a deal, I guess. It was not hard," the president said.
He continued, "The biggest bill of its kind ever signed — and it's going to make this country into a rocket ship. I think we're going to have record numbers."
The president also thanked Republican House and Senate leadership for getting the bill to his desk for signage.
"This is going to be something that's amazing ... and everybody was watching it all over the world. I want to thank the Speaker [Mike Johnson] and [Majority Whip] Tom Emmer and [House Majority Leader] Steve Scalise, they worked so hard. On the Senate side, I thought [Majority Leader] Senator Thune did a fantastic job.
"This has really been going on for over a year, to be exact about 14 months. This was the culmination."
Why It Matters
Trump and his inner circle have been trying to pass the reconciliation bill for weeks, with the president setting a July 4 deadline to get it through Congress and to his desk. Despite multiple modifications and delays by Democratic Party rivals, that deadline was met.
What To Know
The president also said he believed that the bill would lead to great economic growth for the U.S., saying that would surpass gains seen during his first term in the White House.
Among the Trump administration officials celebrating the bill's passage were White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
"Congress just passed the most populist, pro-worker, pro-American, pro-sovereignty, pro-freedom and pro-growth legislation in American History," Miller wrote on X. "The agenda President Trump campaigned on—and won a historic mandate to implement—is now the law of the land. THE GOLDEN AGE IS HERE!!!"
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Leavitt, who has repeatedly spoken of the merits Trump sees in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, said on X that Trump would soon sign it.
"President Trump's One Big, Beautiful Bill delivers on the commonsense agenda that nearly 80 million Americans voted for – the largest middle-class tax cut in history, permanent border security, massive military funding, and restoring fiscal sanity," Leavitt wrote. "The pro-growth policies within this historic legislation are going to fuel an economic boom like we've never seen before."
Trump's rapid response account on X, formerly Twitter, boasted that the House of Representatives passed his "big, beautiful bill," 218-214, "PEACE DEALS. TRADE DEALS. TAX DEALS."
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told the Associated Press in a statement that the passage of the sweeping tax bill "has set the stage for the coming Golden Age" as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.
He thanked Trump and House Republicans, calling the measure "the biggest legislative win for American workers and families."
However, Democrats sharply criticized the legislation, accusing the GOP of advancing a plan that would strip health care and food assistance from millions of low-income workers, seniors, and veterans nationwide.
What's in the One Big Beautiful Bill?
The bill continues tax cuts from Trump's first presidential term, funds his border wall plan, and increases defense spending.
The associated fiscal impact of this is offset by reducing federal support for key components of the social safety net, including food assistance and health coverage programs.
What Republicans Voted Against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act?
Two House Republicans voted against the final passage of the bill on Thursday.
Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky stated that he could not vote for it due to concerns that it would exacerbate the federal deficit.
Representative Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania promised his constituents that he would not support a package that included steep cuts to Medicaid.
What People Are Saying
Donald Trump Jr., on X: "No more taxes on tips. No more taxes on overtime. Working-class family tax cuts across the board. Funding for ICE so we can secure our border. Killing Biden's Green New Scam and unleashing American energy. All thanks to the Big Beautiful Bill."
California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, in a statement on X: "This bill is a tragedy for the American people, and a complete moral failure. The President and his MAGA enablers are ripping care from cancer patients, meals from children, and money from working families — just to give tax breaks to the ultra-rich. With this measure, Donald J. Trump's legacy is now forever cemented: he has created a more unequal, more indebted, and more dangerous America. Shame on him."
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on X: "The Republican spending bill is a historic theft that will take from the poor to give to the already-rich. Republicans passed this knowing people will die. They know people will lose health care. They know children will go hungry. They will own the tragic results. We can't let them forget."
When Does the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Take Effect?
The bill now heads to the Oval Office for signing at 5 p.m. ET on July 4.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
Update 7/3/25, 3:53 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 7/3/25, 5:31 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information and remarks. The headline was updated to reflect President Trump's remarks.
Update 7/3/25, 5:57 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information and remarks.
Update 7/3/25, 6:11 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional remarks.
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