Trump hints GOP who vote against One, Big, Beautiful Bill could face primary challenges

President Donald Trump, while he was on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, hinted that House GOP members could face primaries if they voted against the "Big, Beautiful Bill" that the president is backing, suggesting that the Republicans who "grandstand" about the bill would no longer be lawmakers. 

When Trump was asked about "grandstanding" Republican House members — some have said includes Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) — Trump said, "You have a couple that will grandstand." Trump has called for Massie to be primaried before. 

"Look, the alternative is a 68 percent tax increase, and you can blame the Democrats for that, and one or two grandstanders. We only have one or two. But we have tremendous support, but you'll have a 68 percent tax increase or you'll ... get a tax cut, the likes of which we've never had before."

"This is bigger than any Ronald Reagan tax cut. It's even bigger than the tax cut that I gave, because, as you know, that's being extended and increased. So this is the biggest tax cut in the history of our country, or you'll get a 68 percent tax increase. And if that happens, I mean, what Republican could vote for that to happen? Because they wouldn't be a Republican much longer. They would be knocked out so fast," Trump added, suggesting they could be voted out of their positions in the House. 

The comments from Trump come after last week, multiple members of the House Freedom Caucus (HFC) voted in opposition to the bill that contains a huge number of policy prescriptions from Trump, including extending the 2017 tax cuts as well as eliminating taxes on tips and overtime. The vote took place in committee, but then on Sunday evening, the bill passed out of the Budget Committee with a vote of 17 to 16 and the HFC members voting present. 

Trump is speaking on the Hill today with the House GOP to push to advance the bill.