By J Robert Smith
- June 10, 2025
- 2-min read
President Donald Trump wants to give middle-class and working Americans tax breaks. He pledged to do so during last year’s presidential contest. Those promises proved popular and helped elect him. Now, some Senate Republicans are balking. If they wind up gutting some of Trump’s most popular tax-cut initiatives from the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill,” they risk losing the U.S. House in next year’s midterm elections. If the House flips to the Democrats, it’s game over. The final two years of the Trump presidency will end up like the last two years of his first presidency: marked by investigations, impeachment inquiries, and gridlock. The stakes are enormously high.
Politico is reporting (June 10) that Sen. Ron Johnson (WI) is leaning against “no taxes on tips,” “no taxes on overtime” and tax relief for seniors” – the latter refers to permitting seniors to deduct up to $4,000 annually in taxes on their Social Security pensions. Why Social Security pensions are taxed in the first place is the real question. Working Americans are forced by law to contribute to Social Security. When they retire, Uncle Sam then taxes their pensions. How is that fair?
North Carolina’s Thom Tillis is raising objections, too. Tillis voted to impeach Trump back in 2020. He’s clearly no friend of the president’s. Tillis is an establishment Republican. Does he have any feel for the struggles of working North Carolinians? Tar Heel State conservatives are likely to challenge him for renomination in 2026.
Making legislation is a messy affair. Compromises are standard. Making minor adjustments to accommodate senators are expected. But any changes that break President Trump’s promises to help tens of millions of hardworking – often struggling – Americans should be a nonstarter.
Republicans hold a razor-thin majority in the U.S. House. Passing the One, Big, Beautiful Bill largely intact is critical to the GOP holding their House majority next year. Senate Republicans should remember that as they mark up Trump’s signature piece of legislation.