Trump tax cut plan hits turbulence ahead of House vote as Republicans split

The House Rules Committee, the final gatekeepers for most bills before a House floor vote, is meeting to debate a measure that GOP leaders want to have on Trump's desk by sometime in May.

The bill aims to increase spending on border security, the judiciary and defense by roughly $300 billion, while seeking at least $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion in spending cuts elsewhere.

Since the commander in chief has already telegraphed his preference for House Republicans' proposal, the Senate bill has been relegated to a de facto backup plan if the House is not able to pass its own. This much was relayed to senators by Vice President JD Vance last week as he gave them the White House's blessing to push their bill forward, a source told Fox News Digital. 

Current margins dictate House Republicans can only lose one vote to still pass a bill without Democratic support.

Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., wrote on X Sunday night that she was against the bill as written.

"Why I am a NO on the current version of the house budget instructions - I have a TRILLION DOLLAR QUESTION - where is the money - $1T? Interesting FACT: roughly 85% of spending is not ever even looked at by Congress - convenient if you would like to hide waste, fraud and abuse," Spartz announced.

However, House Republican leaders contend that Republicans have not passed two reconciliation bills since the 1990s and under far more favorable margins.

Both chambers are contending with razor-thin margins and an ideologically diverse Republican conference as they look to make major conservative policy changes via the budget reconciliation process this year. 

By leveling thresholds for passage in the House and Senate at a simple majority, reconciliation allows the party in power to pass fiscal legislation without any support from the opposing side. The Senate has a two-thirds majority threshold to advance most measures.

It is not clear, however, whether Trump's support for the House plan will be enough to get it over the line.