The political fireworks continued on Capitol Hill Thursday after President Donald Trump’s signature domestic legislation—a sweeping tax and entitlement reform package dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill”—narrowly passed the House, igniting a fierce round of partisan accusations and fiery rhetoric.
One of the most visible critics of the bill was Rep. Sarah McBride (D-DE), the first openly transgender member of Congress, who blasted the legislation outside the Capitol, calling it “a tax on working people” that would “create new out-of-pocket expenses” and violate Trump’s pledge to lower costs for everyday Americans.
But Team Trump didn’t let the claim go unanswered.
In a sharp rebuttal, the Trump campaign’s Rapid Response 47 account took to X (formerly Twitter), branding McBride’s comments as “a total lie.”
“The One Big Beautiful Bill CUTS taxes for working people and ELIMINATES taxes on tips and overtime,” the campaign declared. “In fact, Americans earning between $30k–$80k would see a 15% reduction in taxes.”
The Trump administration’s argument hinges on the bill’s tax relief provisions, which include expanded standard deductions, child tax credits, and the elimination of taxation on service industry tips and overtime income—a move the White House argues will deliver tangible gains for working-class Americans.
McBride, elected in 2024, has quickly become one of the most outspoken progressive voices in the House. Her comments Thursday were met with boos from liberal protesters, not for her policy views but, in what some saw as ironic optics, because of the heat surrounding her role in the debate over recent House Republican rules mandating restroom use by biological sex—a rule change adopted earlier this year in response to her presence in the chamber.
While her critique of the tax bill echoed that of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)—who dubbed it the “GOP Tax Scam”—it was McBride who became the lightning rod for conservative ire.
“This is a budget that imposes a tax on working people… breaking the foundational promise of this president’s campaign,” McBride said Thursday, prompting the Trump camp’s swift rebuttal.
The bill—hailed by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) as a “landmark achievement”—cuts income taxes across the board, with the largest percentage reductions for middle-income earners. It eliminates taxes on tips and overtime, a popular feature with service workers and Trump’s blue-collar base.
However, it also slashes Medicaid spending by hundreds of billions, institutes work requirements for able-bodied recipients, and tightens eligibility standards. While fiscal conservatives were initially hesitant about the bill’s long-term costs, they agreed to back it after Johnson accelerated the Medicaid cuts to lock in the savings before a future Congress could reverse them.
Still, these cuts drew intense pushback from Democrats, who warned of hospital closures, reduced care for seniors and veterans, and rising copays and deductibles—all points repeated by Jeffries and McBride.
According to a Politico report, Trump privately told GOP lawmakers not to overplay their hand on Medicaid.
“Don’t fk with Medicaid**,” Trump reportedly said during a closed-door caucus meeting, signaling that while reforms were needed, the program remained politically untouchable at a certain threshold.
The public clash with McBride also reflects the ongoing cultural divide between a populist, right-leaning Republican Party and a progressive Democratic caucus increasingly defined by identity politics and social activism. While McBride focused on economic critiques, her presence—and identity—remain a flashpoint, especially given recent GOP procedural reforms targeting transgender members.
Trump allies have used the moment to paint Democrats as “manufacturing outrage” while delivering little to working-class voters.
“All they have are tantrums,” one White House aide said off the record. “We’re delivering tax cuts and real wage relief.”
