‘Do we lose three votes here?’ Trump warns as Senate GOP threatens to torpedo House’s hard-fought SALT compromise

According to Politico, Senate Majority Leader John Thune emphasized the lack of enthusiasm among Republican senators for the SALT provision, stating bluntly that “there really isn’t a single Republican senator who cares much about the SALT issue.” This stance poses a significant challenge to the $353 billion SALT deduction cap agreement that House Speaker Mike Johnson carefully negotiated.

During the White House meeting, Trump appeared mindful of the delicate vote calculations, with Senator Ron Johnson recalling the former president’s cautionary words: “You do this, do we lose three votes here? If you do that, do you lose three votes here?” This exchange highlighted the complex political mathematics involved in maintaining for the broader legislation.

Senate Republicans push for permanent business tax cuts as their primary focus

While the SALT discussion occupied only a small portion of the White House meeting, Senate Republicans used their time with Trump to advocate for their main priority: making business tax cuts permanent. Senator Thune indicated this was a non-negotiable requirement for several of his caucus.

Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo emphasized the regional politics at play, noting that without Republican senators from New York, New Jersey, or California, there is little motivation to what he characterized as a subsidy for high-tax states at the expense of others.

Despite their opposition to the SALT compromise, Senate Republicans acknowledge the precarious position of House Speaker Johnson, who must maintain his narrow majority. Senator Todd Young expressed this tension, noting that while the Senate wants to improve the House’s work, they understand the speaker’s limited room for maneuver.

The legislative negotiations are operating under heightened pressure, with Republicans working to meet a July 4 deadline for ing the bill. The timeline has been further complicated by public criticism from Trump ally Elon Musk, who recently labeled the bill an “abomination,” though senators indicated this criticism was treated lightly during the White House meeting.