The House Passed Trump’s Big Bill, Showcasing His Power

All but two House Republicans voted this afternoon to pass the party’s sprawling bill to extend tax cuts and slash social safety net programs. President Trump plans to sign the legislation into law tomorrow.

Today’s final vote, 218 to 214, came after a frenzied week of negotiations. Day after day, Republicans from across the ideological spectrum had suggested that they couldn’t support the bill. “For some, the cuts were too steep; for others, the cuts were not steep enough,” our White House correspondent, Tyler Pager, told me. “Despite all of that, Trump ratcheted up the pressure — and the charm — to push it across the finish line.”

It was, as Tyler described it, “the latest example of Trump’s seemingly unlimited control over the Republican Party.” Several onetime holdouts told us that they had voted “yes” because they were won over by something Trump had told them, alluding to “executive actions” and other steps his administration could take to change how the law would be implemented.

Now, Trump will face the difficult task of selling the bill to the public — just 29 percent of voters support it, according to a recent poll. The president is likely to highlight the tax cuts, as well as the increased funding for the military and border security. But he will be faced with a Democratic campaign to focus on the bill’s less popular features, including roughly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts and significant additions to the national debt.

For more:

• My colleagues who have been studying the legislation answered some of the most frequently asked questions.

• Answer a series of questions to see how the Republican bill will affect your wallet.

• The bill could reshape America’s energy landscape.