Republican infighting just hit a new low. According to the New York Post, Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy unleashed a verbal lashing on GOP hardliners who stalled President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” accusing them of selfish grandstanding. Unity is harder than it looks.
McCarthy aired his grievances on WABC 770 AM’s “Cats Roundtable” Sunday, after five Republicans derailed the bill in the House Budget Committee on Friday. The legislation, a bold mix of tax cuts, border security, and energy boosts, was meant to cement Trump’s agenda. Instead, it’s stuck in committee limbo.
Last week, various House committees rolled out legislative text for the bill’s components, setting the stage for a Budget Committee consolidation. But when push came to shove, Representatives Chip Roy, Ralph Norman, Josh Brecheen, Andrew Clyde, and Lloyd Smucker threw a wrench in the works. Actions, it seems, have consequences.
The rebel quartet—Roy, Norman, Brecheen, and Clyde—argued the bill didn’t go far enough to curb government spending. They also pushed for speedier Medicaid work requirements, flexing their fiscal hawk credentials. Meanwhile, Smucker claimed his “no” vote was just procedural, to keep the bill alive for later.
McCarthy wasn’t buying it. “A real misstep,” he called it, slamming the holdouts for putting personal agendas over party goals. In his view, their stunt risks letting taxes spike if the bill doesn’t pass.
“The stock market seems like it is moving up,” McCarthy said, hinting at economic optimism. But he warned that Congress needs to match Trump’s energy to keep the momentum going. Otherwise, the GOP’s big promises might fizzle.
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” is a MAGA wish list: extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, scrapping taxes on tips and overtime, boosting senior tax deductions, tightening borders, and ramping up energy production. It’s the kind of bold plan that could energize the base—if it ever sees the light of day. For now, it’s trapped in committee purgatory.
GOP leadership, now under House Speaker Mike Johnson, has been scrambling to negotiate with the holdouts. Johnson, who replaced McCarthy after a 2023 GOP revolt, faces the same fractured party dynamics. It’s like herding cats, but with higher stakes.
McCarthy didn’t mince words about the leadership vacuum. “Poor President Trump is being the president [and] the speaker at the same time,” he quipped. The jab underscores the pressure on Johnson to unify the party and deliver.
Republicans planned to reconvene the Budget Committee Sunday night around 10 p.m., hoping to hammer out compromises. If they can get the bill past the committee, it’s on to the Rules Committee and then a floor vote. But that’s a big “if” with this crowd.
McCarthy’s frustration reflects a deeper GOP struggle: balancing principle with pragmatism. The holdouts’ push for fiscal discipline is admirable, but derailing a flagship bill risks alienating voters who want results. It’s a tightrope walk, and they’re wobbling.
“I think the president will be back in and really looking to these members to get the job done,” McCarthy said. He warned that failure means higher taxes—a outcome no Republican wants to explain in 2026.
