Trump Urges GOP to Use Budget Reconciliation for Defense and Voting Measures
Donald Trump has called on congressional Republicans to swiftly advance a party-line bill that would raise defense spending to its highest level in decades and attempt to impose a series of new voting restrictions nationwide.
In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, the former president stated he was
“calling on Republicans in Congress to IMMEDIATELY advance and pass the forthcoming $350 Billion Reconciliation Bill”, which would also include a right-wing overhaul of elections that his congressional allies have sought to pass for months without success.
He added,
“No games, no delays, and no weak compromises! Do this ASAP.”
Republican Division Over Budget Reconciliation Strategy
Trump’s demand appears to be causing division among Republicans, some of whom have opposed his insistence on using the budget reconciliation procedure to enact his priorities without obstruction from the Democratic minority’s filibuster in the Senate. The Save America Act, a key component of Trump’s agenda, is unlikely to pass given its lack of support in the Senate.
Budget reconciliation allows congressional majorities to bypass the filibuster and pass legislation related to spending, revenue, and the debt limit with a simple majority in the Senate. Republicans first employed this procedure last year to pass a bill funding Trump’s mass deportation campaign, extending tax cuts, and cutting major federal health insurance and food aid programs for low-income populations.
They used reconciliation again to approve a $70 billion allocation for agencies leading deportation efforts throughout Trump’s term after Democrats refused to fund these agencies without reforms.
Defense Spending Request and Budget Structure
In April, the White House submitted a $1.5 trillion defense spending request for the 2027 fiscal year, offset by cuts in other government areas, particularly social services. The proposal called for $1.15 trillion to be passed through the regular appropriations process, with the remaining $350 billion to come from a reconciliation measure.
Trump’s Truth Social post emphasized that the $350 billion portion is necessary to finance new weapons systems, many bearing his personal influence. These include the Colossus missile, a “golden fleet” of naval vessels, and the Trump-class aircraft carrier, named to reflect his status as the 47th president.
Last week, the House Armed Services Committee approved the $1.15 trillion spending in the annual National Defense Authorization Act. However, two Republican senators publicly criticized the plan to allocate the remaining funds via budget reconciliation.
Senators McConnell and Collins Express Concerns
Mitch McConnell, former Senate Republican leader, stated at an appropriations subcommittee hearing on the Air Force budget,
“I think it’s safe to conclude there will not be another reconciliation bill.”
Susan Collins, chair of the Appropriations Committee, concurred, saying,
“I agree with that assessment.”
Both senators expressed concerns that relying on reconciliation for defense funding could create instability and uncertainty. Collins remarked,
“I would just suggest that it is taking a terrible risk and creates instability when you’re counting on a third reconciliation bill for the bulk of the money rather than doing base funding through the defense appropriations bill.”
McConnell added in his opening statement,
“A one-off funding request is not appropriate for weapons systems that require spending over years, while ‘major disruptions’ could occur if Republicans fail to reach an agreement on budget reconciliation.”
He further criticized the administration’s approach, saying,
“The administration’s choice to structure an ambitious $1.5tn request in this way is yet another missed opportunity to put key aspects of our common defense on a stronger and more enduring fiscal footing.”
Challenges Facing the Save America Act
Trump’s insistence on including the Save America Act in the reconciliation bill appears impractical. The policy changes it mandates likely violate budget reconciliation rules and lack the Democratic support needed to overcome the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold.
The bill would impose new voter ID requirements, require states to regularly submit voter rolls to the Department of Homeland Security, and hold election officials legally liable if individuals are improperly registered to vote.
In March, the Senate voted on the bill, but the effort stalled due to insufficient support.
