Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ could add $3 trillion to national debt, CBO says
President Donald Trump’s ambitious plan to pass a “big, beautiful bill” is facing significant backlash from Republican senators over fears of adding trillions of dollars to the national debt. The bill, which is projected to increase the debt by $3 trillion with interest, or $5 trillion if made permanent, has sparked heated debates in Congress.
According to estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the House-passed bill could add more than $2.4 trillion to primary deficits over the next 10 years. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB), a nonprofit public policy organization, has raised concerns about the massive spending package being considered by a Republican-controlled Congress. The bill aims to address various issues including tax policy, border security, immigration, defense, energy production, the debt limit, and adjustments to SNAP and Medicaid.
As of Wednesday, the national debt stood at $36.2 trillion, with a national deficit of $1 trillion, according to the Treasury Department. The CRFB estimates that the House-passed bill includes roughly $5.3 trillion of tax cuts and spending, partially offset by $2.9 trillion of revenue increases and spending cuts. The group warns that the bill could add nearly $3.0 trillion to the debt through 2034, or $5.0 trillion if temporary provisions are made permanent.
The CRFB has urged the Senate to make the bill “more responsible,” citing concerns about near-term inflation, increased interest rates, unnecessary complexity in the tax code, weakened market confidence, and slowed long-term economic growth. Despite passing in the House, some lawmakers, including Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., have voiced opposition to the bill, arguing that it would only delay discussions on the growing national debt.
Top Democrats have also criticized the bill, warning that it could lead to the deaths of an estimated 51,000 Americans due to changes in the federal healthcare system and broader reconciliation legislation. Even Elon Musk, Trump’s former head of the Department of Government Efficiency, has come out against the bill.
The White House has launched a new website tabulating the anticipated savings from the bill, but concerns about its impact on the national debt persist. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment on the ongoing debate surrounding the “big, beautiful bill.”
