Scott Jennings Warns GOP Lawmakers: Oppose Trump’s Bill, and You’ll Pay for It

CNN’s Scott Jennings, during a recent interview issued a warning to Republican lawmakers about failing to pass President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which contains key aspects of his economic agenda.

The bill failed to make it out of the House Budget Committee on Friday due to concerns among House Republicans that it did not include enough spending cuts — especially to programs such as Medicaid. However, the measure advanced on Sunday, with the lawmakers who previously voted against it voting “present.”

“At the end of the day, what the speaker has to tell this conference, and what I think the most resonant messages for Republicans, is this is the President's agenda,” Jennings said during the interview. “This reconciliation package, this is the President's agenda that he ran on, and the American people elected him to enact.”

So ultimately, when they get this down to the floor on Thursday, that's the choice. Are you going to vote to support the President and enact the President's agenda or not? And because of that, I'm quite confident they'll get it over the line. The real issue here is getting it out of the House, moving the ball down the field, getting the president towards what he wants, which is one big, beautiful bill that enacts the agenda on which he ran.

🔥Karoline Leavitt just delivered a SERIOUS wake-up-call to Republicans:

"It is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL that Republicans united behind the 'One, Big, Beautiful Bill,' and deliver on President Trump's agenda."

"There is NO TIME to waste!"

"Americans are counting on Republicans to… pic.twitter.com/2LkyBeWp28
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 19, 2025

Jennings suggested that if Congress does not get the bill passed before the August recess, “they’re going to face some hard questions from their constituents who voted for Donald Trump about why you’re not helping him enough to get his agenda enacted.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” said, “It’s very important for everybody to understand why we’re being so aggressive on the timetable” and that the bill “is the vehicle through which we will deliver on the mandate that the American people gave us in the last election.”

The speaker further stated that the bill would bring about “historic savings for the American people, historic tax relief for American workers, historic investments in border security, at the same time that we’re restoring American energy dominance, and we’re rebuilding the defense industrial base.”

And look, the tax cuts — look, is critical. We’re going to make the 2017 tax cuts permanent. We’re going to eliminate taxes on overtime and tips as the president promised, new tax relief for seniors on Social Security. And we’re going to cut taxes on job creators, so that will help everybody across the country at the same time as incentivizing American-made production and manufacturing.

Speaker Johnson: Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Containing $900B In Spending Cuts Still ‘On Track’ Despite GOP Defectors | Blake Wolf, One America News

House Speaker Mike Johnson stated on Sunday that President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” aimed at cutting around $900… pic.twitter.com/y8VU8cKd1a
— Owen Gregorian (@OwenGregorian) May 19, 2025

If Republicans can’t pass this bill before the August recess, they will have more to worry about than questions from their constituents, as Jennings suggested. Those seen as impeding the bill’s passage will certainly earn the wrath of Trump, who will use his bully pulpit and status as leader of the party to target them.

🚨 JUST IN: House Leadership will NOT be sending members home for the Memorial Day break if Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill is not advanced, per Punchbowl

GOOD! MAKE THEM WORK!

Trump’s agenda is the NUMBER ONE priority. pic.twitter.com/RROz1ZmnbD
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) May 19, 2025

At least some of these lawmakers risk primary challenges in the upcoming midterm elections if they push back too harshly against the measure. Indeed, only those who are safe in their districts, such as Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) could likely afford to vote against the bill without much fear of reprisal.

Either way, it is clear the real work is about to begin, and the battle over this bill could very well signify how difficult or easy it will be for the president to deliver on his promises.