Trump's Victories Spread Across Courts, Capitol Hill, and the Middle East
In the two weeks following the passage of President Donald Trump's domestic policy megabill, the White House has been buzzing with activity and controversy. The bill, signed into law on July 4, 2025, has been a significant legislative victory for Trump, marking a turning point in his administration's agenda.
The "One Big, Beautiful Bill," as Trump affectionately referred to it, is a multitrillion-dollar tax and spending bill that encompasses significant tax cuts, spending adjustments, and policy changes with far-reaching implications for immigration, defence, and social programs.
One of the key aspects of the bill is the increased funding for immigration and military enforcement. The bill allocates an additional $170 billion towards "immigration security," including the expansion of immigrant detention facilities and the hiring of 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and 3,000 Border Patrol officers. It also includes a $150 billion increase in military spending, bolstering an already record-high Pentagon budget.
However, the bill has been criticised for favouring the wealthy while cutting Medicaid and other government benefits, instituting work requirements for Medicaid that are projected to cause millions of Americans to lose health insurance coverage. These moves have been framed by Trump as economic wins, although they have drawn sharp criticism for their impact on vulnerable populations.
The signing event was a spectacle, featuring a military flyover with B-2 bombers, symbolising a connection between Trump's domestic policy agenda and an assertive US foreign and defence posture. This was meant to emphasise strength and patriotism in conjunction with the legislation.
Trump engaged in intense persuasion and pressure tactics to gain near-total Republican support for the bill, despite some internal opposition. This period also set the stage for political battles expected in the upcoming elections over the bill’s impact on American workers and vulnerable populations.
The mood at the White House is described as aggressively chipper, with Trump's political operation continuing to raise money at a prodigious rate to back him, his candidates, and his agenda going into 2026. The economy has shown resilience in the face of Trump's tariffs and the stock market has hit record highs. Illegal border crossings have plummeted to the lowest numbers seen in decades.
However, not everyone is pleased with the bill. A recent Quinnipiac University poll shows that only 29% of voters support President Trump's legislation. Roughly half of all voters, including 20% of Republicans, say they expect the bill to hurt them and their families, according to a Fox News poll.
Many Democrats warn of creeping authoritarianism and worry for the future of American democracy. The Supreme Court has continued to back Trump's assertions of executive power, but this has been met with resistance and controversy.
The president has planned a big party for Friday night on the South Lawn of the White House to celebrate the Fourth of July. Despite criticism, Trump remains confident in his administration’s priorities: tax cuts benefiting the wealthy, increased immigration enforcement, boosted military funding, and cuts to social safety nets.
Sources: [1] CNN, July 4, 2025, "Trump signs historic domestic policy bill into law" [2] The New York Times, July 5, 2025, "Analysis: Trump's Domestic Policy Bill: A Triumph or a Disaster?" [3] The Washington Post, July 6, 2025, "Trump's Domestic Policy Bill: A Class War Measure or a Necessary Step?"
- The White House has been abuzz following President Donald Trump's signing of the "One Big, Beautiful Bill," a multitrillion-dollar tax and spending bill, into law on July 4, 2025.
- One of the key aspects of the bill is increased funding for immigration and military enforcement, which includes the expansion of immigrant detention facilities and the hiring of additional ICE agents and Border Patrol officers.
- Critics have claimed that the bill favors the wealthy, while cutting Medicaid and other government benefits, potentially causing millions of Americans to lose health insurance coverage.
- The bill's impact on American workers and vulnerable populations is expected to be a major point of contention in the upcoming elections.
- Following the bill's signing, the stock market has hit record highs, and illegal border crossings have plummeted to their lowest levels in decades.
- Recent polls indicate that only 29% of voters support President Trump's legislation, with roughly half of all voters expressing concern about its potential negative effects on them and their families.
- The president's domestic policy agenda has been linked to creeping authoritarianism and concerns over the future of American democracy, with the Supreme Court backing Trump's assertions of executive power but facing resistance and controversy in response.
