Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" only gets a razor-thin majority in the US Senate

A key tax and spending bill pushed by US President Donald Trump has cleared a major hurdle in the US Congress. The Senate approved the proposal, dubbed "One Big Beautiful Bill," by a razor-thin majority at noon (local time) after a marathon all-night session. The deciding vote was cast by US Vice President J.D. Vance, who, in his role as President of the Senate, can cast the deciding vote in the event of a tie.

Although the House of Representatives had already approved an earlier version of the bill, because the Senate introduced amendments, the bill must now be passed again by the other chamber of Congress. Only then can it be presented to the President for signature. The Republicans' goal is to get the package to Trump's desk before July 4th – American Independence Day.

The tax law had previously sparked a dispute between Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk, which escalated into an open mudslinging match. In social media posts, Musk railed against the law and instead called for significantly greater spending cuts. Musk, who was at one point one of the most influential advisors in the White House, also openly threatened to politically attack Republican representatives who supported the law in next year's congressional elections. He also suggested the creation of a new centrist party.

Trump, on the other hand, accused Musk – also head of the car manufacturer Tesla – of being particularly upset about the plan because of the abolition of subsidies and regulations in favor of the electric car industry.

A core element of the legislation is the permanent extension of tax breaks from Trump's first term. These are to be financed, among other things, through cuts to social benefits – a point that has met with fierce criticism from Democrats. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, for example, complained that the legislation would cause millions of Americans to lose their health insurance.

There are also reservations among Republicans: Fiscal conservative Republicans complain that the law does not go far enough in cutting spending and threatens to further increase the budget deficit.

Trump himself has been praising the bill for weeks and gradually increasing the pressure on his party colleagues to complete the legislative process quickly. After the bill passed the Senate, he called on House Republicans on the Truth Social platform to stand united. "We're on schedule—let's get on with it and get it done before you and your family go on vacation on the Fourth of July."