Florida’s Sen. Rick Scott just threw a wrench into President Trump’s spending plans. On Tuesday, May 27, 2025, he told Charlie Kirk he’s a hard no on the House-passed bill without major cuts. Conservative spines are stiffening, and the Senate’s fiscal hawks are circling.
The Daily Caller reported that Scott, speaking on “The Charlie Kirk Show,” said the bill, greenlit by the House, won’t pass the Senate without serious changes, as GOP senators like Ron Johnson and Rand Paul demand fiscal restraint.
Trump gave Republicans the go-ahead to overhaul it on May 25, 2025. The bill’s $4 trillion debt ceiling hike is a sticking point, and Scott’s not budging.
“If they brought it to the floor right now, there’s not a chance it’ll get the 51 votes,” Scott declared. He’s got a point—budgets don’t balance themselves, and voters aren’t clamoring for more debt. The senator’s stance reflects a broader GOP push to keep campaign promises.
Scott’s not alone in his rebellion. Sens. Ron Johnson and Mike Lee are also calling for slashed spending, with Johnson eyeing pre-pandemic levels—a $6 trillion cut. That’s the kind of bold move conservatives cheer, even if Washington gasps.
Johnson called the bill “completely unacceptable,” and he’s not wrong. House Republicans, spooked by 2026 midterms, caved to pressure, but Senate fiscal hawks face no such heat. Actions have consequences, and the House might regret its haste.
“Can’t pressure me that way,” Johnson quipped, shrugging off Trump’s influence. His defiance shows the Senate’s got more backbone than the House on this one. Primary threats don’t scare senators with years left on their terms.
Rand Paul’s got his beef with the bill’s “historic” $4 trillion debt ceiling increase. He’s hinted he might back a version with tax and spending cuts, minus the debt hike. Paul’s not here for blank checks, and neither are taxpayers.
“I’ve told them if they’ll take the debt ceiling off, I’ll consider voting for it,” Paul said. It’s a reasonable line in the sand—why saddle the nation with more debt when inflation’s already biting? Conservatives want results, not IOUs.
Scott echoed the need for fiscal sanity, tying budget balance to lower interest rates and controlled inflation. “We want to get interest rates down,” he told Kirk. Someone’s got to remind Washington that economics isn’t a fairy tale.
Scott’s confident the Senate will craft its bill, forcing the House to reconsider. “We’ll have our bill and … it will go back to the House,” he predicted. That’s a power move, and it’s got conservatives nodding in approval.
The bill needs 51 votes, and Scott’s certain it’s dead on arrival without changes. He’s betting on GOP unity to force a leaner budget. Wishful thinking? Maybe, but it’s a fight worth having.
Johnson’s not buying the “pull together” rhetoric either. “That’s the way they’re going to try to make it go,” he scoffed. Unity’s nice, but not at the expense of fiscal responsibility.
Scott reminded Kirk that balancing the budget was a campaign pledge. “We all promise we’re going to balance the budget,” he said. Voters don’t forget, and neither should senators.
Paul’s still open to a deal, but only if the debt ceiling’s scrapped. “The spending reductions are imperfect, but I’d still vote for the package,” he noted. It’s a pragmatic stance, but the debt hike’s a dealbreaker.
