Republicans Clash Over Making Trump's Tax Cuts Permanent

In Congress, Republican aspirations to solidify Donald Trump's 2017 tax cuts face significant hurdles. As the legislative deadline looms, internal party divisions over financing these permanent cuts are intensifying. Key lawmakers express concerns over increased national debt and annual deficits.

Party moderates resist severe Medicaid cuts, proposed to offset $2 trillion in spending over the next decade. Meanwhile, fiscal hardliners push for scaling back the tax cuts if savings targets aren't met. Optimistic forecasts of GDP growth driven by tax reductions and deregulatory measures are met with skepticism from budget analysts.

House Republicans, with slim majorities, voice doubts about the feasibility of permanently extending all 2017 provisions. Former fiscal experts caution that the economic capacity to manage additional debt is uncertain. Democrats criticize the perceived imbalance in fiscal mathematics, highlighting potential harm to government program dependents and deepening deficits.

(With inputs from agencies.)