House Republicans Backstaab Trump

House Republicans from moderate districts are making it clear they will not support a sweeping legislative package aligned with President Trump’s agenda if it includes deep cuts to Medicaid, especially if the Senate is expected to remove those provisions later. Their warning reflects growing resistance within the GOP to back what they see as symbolic or politically damaging votes that won’t ultimately become law.

In previous years, Republican leadership has relied on a strategy of advancing more conservative bills through the House to strengthen their bargaining position with the Senate. That tactic required moderates to swallow hard votes with the understanding that the final legislation would be more tempered. But this time, those moderates are refusing to play along.

This internal friction comes as House Republicans weigh their role in advancing the president’s legislative goals, particularly in shaping the so-called “big, beautiful bill” that encompasses major tax changes and significant spending reductions. Moderates are now telling Speaker Mike Johnson that they are not willing to support a bill designed to be later gutted by the Senate, especially one that targets healthcare for vulnerable populations.

“There’s strong resistance among more than 20 members who only want to vote on a bill that stands a real chance of becoming law,” said one lawmaker. They stressed that supporting a far-right version of the bill purely for leverage would be a waste of political capital and potentially harm their standing with constituents.

Another Republican from a swing district said it would be a disaster if the House passed drastic Medicaid cuts only for the Senate to discard them. That scenario, he warned, would leave House Republicans to bear the political backlash without any legislative win to show for it. He emphasized the need for constant communication between both chambers and the administration to avoid divisions and misaligned strategies.

This growing divide highlights an emerging reality: many in the House GOP are hesitant to tie themselves too closely to Trump’s more aggressive legislative priorities, especially when they believe the end result will be a scaled-back version that leaves them exposed politically.