The House Budget Committee halted progress Friday on President Donald Trump’s budget proposal when it voted against the bill during a closely watched markup session.

The committee rejected the Trump-supported measure by a vote of 16-21, with key Republican members citing ideological concerns as negotiations continue toward advancing a revised version to the president’s desk by July 4, as Breitbart reports.

The vote occurred shortly after noon, ending hopes of swift committee approval. Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana moved forward with the markup despite warnings that there wasn’t sufficient support among conservatives on the panel. In the end, dissent from within Republican ranks helped doom the bill’s first committee test.

Four members of the House Freedom Caucus -- Reps. Chip Roy of Texas, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma, and Andrew Clyde of Georgia voted no. Their key concerns centered around issues like federal spending, tax plans, and delays to some policy reforms they fear may be eliminated as the process continues.

One additional Republican lawmaker also voted against the bill after changing his vote for procedural purposes. While not all dissenters voiced the same objections, they generally agreed that the current version falls short in fulfilling the former president’s policy goals.

Freedom Caucus raises fiscal policy worries

A spokesperson from the House Freedom Caucus told Breitbart News the group remains engaged in negotiating terms. “We are not leaving right now,” the spokesperson said. “We have been making progress and are continuing our work on the legislation.”

At the heart of their concerns were provisions on the Second Amendment and fears that certain compromises in the draft text might weaken conservative priorities. They also worry that delayed reforms may never be reinstated in the final version of the bill.

Despite voting in favor of moving the bill forward, Budget Committee chairman Jody Arrington of Texas acknowledged more work lies ahead. He said the committee would not reconvene later that day and emphasized that important revisions are needed before lawmakers can bring the bill to the full House floor.

Trump urges unity, swift action

Trump addressed the committee’s deliberations on his social media platform, Truth Social, urging Republican lawmakers to support what he described as "one big beautiful bill." He warned that without passage, the country could face higher taxes and strained social services.

“Republicans MUST UNITE,” he wrote in part, saying the legislation would lower taxes and end certain benefits for undocumented immigrants. He also cautioned against internal party resistance, adding, "We don’t need ‘GRANDSTANDERS’ in the Republican Party.”

Trump’s statement was direct in defending the measure and criticizing those he saw as obstructing progress. He blamed current economic issues on the previous Biden administration and called passage of the bill urgent for American households.

Senate expected to weigh in after revisions made

Although the bill was voted down in committee, negotiations among congressional Republicans are continuing at an accelerated pace. With the leadership aiming for a full House vote, revisions are anticipated to reflect the concerns voiced by conservative holdouts.

The ultimate goal is to send the measure to the Senate, where lawmakers are already preparing for their role in the budget process. There, the bill is likely to see more changes—both in committee and potentially through a formal conference committee between the House and Senate.

Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah emphasized the need to align the bill more closely with Trump’s agenda. He told Breitbart News that both presidential expectations and voter demands must guide how Republicans shape final legislative text.

Path forward remains uncertain

While Chairman Arrington allowed the bill to come to a vote, he did not call a new session of the committee immediately afterward. This signals that Republican leadership may shift efforts toward behind-the-scenes negotiations rather than more public markups for now.

Lawmakers from the Freedom Caucus indicated they are not walking away from the deal entirely. That leaves open the possibility that a reworked version of the bill could garner broader support in a second round of committee votes or straight to the House floor.

Still, the setback has slowed momentum slightly. The original schedule, targeting House and Senate passage before Independence Day, now appears ambitious unless a consensus can be reached soon among Republican factions.

GOP lawmakers balance pressure, priorities

In public and private statements, Republican leaders have indicated their desire to avoid prolonged intraparty conflict. But conservatives involved hold firm to policy demands they say are essential for delivering the promises that defined Trump’s campaign and administration.

Trump's team continues to coordinate with lawmakers directly to secure the votes needed for eventual passage. While the bill may change in substance, its core intent remains the same: to enact sweeping fiscal and policy changes under Trump’s renewed leadership.

With ongoing talks and the legislative clock ticking toward July, Republicans face mounting pressure to present a united front—or risk undercutting one of their marquee legislative efforts in the early stages of Trump’s 2025 term.